A Properly Reared Wizard
by Phynix1
Summary: Harry was never placed with the Dursley's. Someone got to Godric's hollow before Hagrid did.ch's 1 and 3 have been edited
1. In the ruins of Godric's Hollow edited

A Properly Reared Wizard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, or any of the Harry potter characters, and am making no money from this story. Some portions of the text may have been taken directly from HP and the sorcerer's stone. They are marked with {'s.  
  
Chapter 1 In the Ruins of Godric's Hollow  
  
A figure in a long cloak that seems to one with the night itself stepped out of the shadows surrounding the ruins of Godric's Hollow. As the hood of the cloak was pulled back dark brown eyes and hair so dark it's almost black were revealed. Once the hood was down we saw that the figure was a beautiful, young woman.  
  
She surveyed the ruins, as if looking for something or someone in particular. As she found what she was looking for, she seemed to sadden. " Oh, Harry." She said with tears in her eyes. Then a baby's cry of fear, pain, and grief could be heard in the still night. The woman rushed over to the child. As she picked it up we saw that the child had messy black hair, brilliant green eyes, and a lightning bolt shaped scar on its forehead.  
  
The mysterious woman picked the child up and held him close. As she held him she crooned a sweet, gentle song and rocked him softly, slowly the child stopped crying and began to fall asleep. Once the child was completely asleep, the woman placed him in a sling across her front so that he was held close to her body and could hear her heartbeat.  
  
Once she was sure the child was secure, the woman brought her hands together in front of her. They began to glow. Brighter and brighter the glow became, it seemed as if the woman was waiting for something. Finally the glow reached a certain brightness and the woman made a gesture in the air as if outlining a door. As she gestured a bight light was left behind in the path of her hands. Once her hands completed the outline it began to fill with light, there was now a glowing portal/gateway hanging there in midair.  
  
Having finished with her task the woman reached into her cloak and pulled two envelopes. One was addressed to "Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin. First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)" the other was addressed to Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She placed the two envelopes on top a pile of rubble and set a flashing green light atop them.  
  
As she straightened once more the child that she carried woke and began to cry. "Shh Harry. It's all right. You're safe now, and I'm going to make sure that you grow up safe, happy, and loved. Unlike what would have happened if I had left you here," crooned the cloaked woman as she moved to the portal that she had created moments earlier. As she stepped through the doorway she took one last look at the ruins of the Potters' home, straightened her shoulders, and walked forward. After she had passed through it the portal gave one last blinding flash of light and closed in on itself.  
  
On a little street outside of a " perfectly ordinary" house inhabited by little Harry's maternal Muggle relatives, on a low wall sat a cat with markings around its eyes. The cat seemed to be waiting for something or someone.  
Out of the darkness stepped a tall cloaked figure. The cloaks hood was pulled back to reveal a distinguished man with long silver hair and a long white beard. The man looked around for a moment, and then pulled a silver device from his cloak. He clicked the device, and one of the streetlights wentout. Again and again he clicked the device, twelve times in total until the street was completely dark.  
  
"Really Minerva, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly!" he said.  
  
The cat jumped from the wall, becoming midjump, a distinguished woman wearing robes. "Well you should try sitting on a wall all day! You would be stiff too!"  
  
{"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."}  
  
After a conversation on how careless people were being they heard a thunderous roar and saw a large flying motorcycle coming their way.  
  
If the motorcycle was huge it had nothing on the man riding it. He was at least twice as tall as the average man, and maybe five times as wide. He was just too big to be believable, and too wild as well. With wild tangles of wiry black hair and a black beard.  
  
He stepped from the motorcycle and Dumbledore said "Well, Hagrid? Did you find the ruins? Did you find Harry? Where is he?"  
  
Hagrid said "I got ta Godric's Hollow fine, but when I got t'ere Harry wasn there. Instead I found two letters, one addressed to me, and t'other ta you."  
  
"What do you mean he wasn't there!?!?!?" exclaimed Minerva McGonagall.  
  
" I foun the letters sittin' on the rubble," said Hagrid "One ta me an' one ta the Headmaster. Mine said the Headmaster's letter would explain thin's."  
  
Dumbledore frowned and said, "Maybe I better see these letters Hagrid."  
  
Hagrid reached into his coat and pulled out two envelopes. One addressed to him and the other to the Headmaster.  
  
"There was this funny little flashin' green light on top o' them. Like whoever left 'em wanted 'em to be found." Said Hagrid.  
  
"Really. How interesting."  
  
As Dumbledore began to read the letters his frown deepened and then lightened a bit. "Well what do they say?" inquired McGonagall.  
  
"It says: 'Dear professor Dumbledore: I have taken Harry so that he may grow up safe, happy, and loved. Unlike what would have happened if you had left him with the Dursleys. We don't need another Tom Riddle on our hands.  
  
Please do not try to find us. You won't be able to. Consequently neither will any of Voldie's remaining Death Munchers. Six weeks prior to Harry's eleventh birthday I will provide the means to send Harry his Hogwarts letter, and he WILL be attending Hogwarts. Until then I will make sure that he has a good childhood and grows up to be happy, healthy, and strong. So don't worry, everything will be taken care of.  
  
Harry's new guardian'  
  
By the end of this Dumbledore was smiling a bit. " 'Voldie'?!?!? 'Death Munchers'?!?!? What is this person talking about? And just who is Tom Riddle!?!" By now Minerva was getting a bit flustered.  
  
"I believe they mean Voldemort and his Death Eaters. You know Tom Marvolo Riddle under another name: Lord Voldemort" said Dumbledore. Turing to Hagrid Dumbledore asked "Did you notice anything unusual while you were there, Hagrid?"  
  
Hagrid thought for a moment and said "Now tha' ya mention it , it kinda smelled like it does after a bad thunderstorm. And my skin kind o' tingled"  
  
"Hmmm"said Dumbledore.  
  
"What? What?!"  
  
" Well those are some of the signs of some very powerful magic having taken place. The kind of magic most wizards and witches in our world don't know anything about."  
  
"What do you mean 'don't know anything about'?" demanded Minerva.  
  
"It's a very difficult type of magic, and very powerful. Most witches and wizards could not do more than the very most basic, weakest spells. And yet. There are people whom we would consider to be Muggles who can do some of the most powerful of this type of magic." explained Dumbledore  
  
"What!?! Why haven't I heard about this before now?!?" exclaimed Minerva, indignant.  
  
"Two reasons really," said Dumbledore. "One: the Ministry in its "Infinite wisdom" decided not to acknowledge that this type of magic even exists. An two; the magic users of this type decided to return the favor by ignoring the Ministry. Plus most of them see us as kind of weak for relying on our wands. They see them as a kind of crutch."  
  
"Well, then how do you know about them?" asked Minerva.  
  
" Because, one night I got in over my head sticking my nose into something I wasn't prepared for or equipped to handle with a Night Flyer, and one of them saved my neck, and my soul," explained Dumbledore.  
  
"A Night Flyer?!?!?! I thought those things were just tales parents told to scare children! And why do they think we're weak for using our wands?" asked Minerva.  
  
"Oh, Night Flyers are very real, as I discovered that night. They believe we're weak because a wand focuses and amplifies your magic for you, instead of forcing you to do it yourself. Plus, because they learn to deal with magical energy more directly, they can learn to tap outside sources of energy."  
  
"Huh?!?!?!?"  
  
"I'll explain later Minerva." (A/N: I know that McGonagall is a little OOC for her but she's had a very trying night)  
  
Meanwhile, in another hemisphere a rather different scene was taking place.  
  
A woman wearing a cloak stepped through a portal into a living room filled with people.  
  
"Did you get him?"  
  
"Is he alright?"  
  
"Did you leave the note for Dumbledore Maria?"  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
The people surrounding the woman, Maria, asked these questions all at once.  
  
"Yes, I got him, Sara. He's just fine, Renée. Yes I did leave the note for Dumbledore, Paul. One for Hagrid too. He's right here David." She pulls off her cloak to reveal the sling with the child. They all gathered round, looking in awe.  
  
Maria pulled the child from the carrying sling to show the others. "He was so scared and so sad when I got there. But he seems to have made the trip just fine."  
  
They all looked down at the infant who had defeated that monster Voldemort.  
  
"He's sooo cute," said Renee.  
  
"So we're sure now. We'll raise him as one of our own. Right?" said Maria.  
  
"Right!" said all of the others.  
  
"Paul, did you set up the investment account for him and link it to Gringotts like we discussed?"  
  
"Yes, Maria."  
  
"Good. Renee, did you take care of the government paperwork to make him legally ours?"  
  
"Of course. No trouble at all. Like they would deny their precious pet ESPers in Project Cassandra anything we asked for."  
  
"Good. Sara and David, the nursery is all set up right?" "Right, just like we planned. David even helped. A little."  
  
"That's everything then. Welcome to the family little Harry Jonathon Post!"  
  
A/N: this is the editied ad reposted version of chapter 1. Sigh I really need a beta reader. 


	2. Sifu and the snake

Chapter 2: Sifu and the Snake  
  
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize I don't own. Thanks to my mom for the help with the details.  
  
Nearly ten years has passed since that fateful night and the sun is rising over a beautiful countryside, the birds are chirping, the wind is rustling through the trees, the marines can be heard chanting cadence for their morning run,(A/N: They live on a military base folks, Air force to be precise) when the tranquility is shattered by a voice, shouting, "HARRY! Get up! Get up NOW!!! You're gonna be late! You still have to eat breakfast and get ready for the ceremony!"  
  
"I'm up, Maria. I'm up! Geez! What time is it?" asks Harry.  
  
"About twenty minutes before the ceremony starts!" replies Maria shouting up the stairs from the kitchen.  
  
"What?!? Why didn't you wake me earlier?!?!" says Harry as he begins to panic.  
  
"I've been calling you for the last hour and a half! I was just about to send in Paul with the bucket of ice water," replies Maria.  
  
Harry came dashing dawn the stairs wearing his white silk Taichi pants, a white t-shirt, and carrying his white silk tunic. As he enters the kitchen he notices Sara and Renee sitting at the table. Turning to them he bowed respectfully, then burst into a HUGE smile.  
  
"Hey Aunt Sara, Aunt Renee," he said.  
  
Renee looked at him and said, "So kid, today's the big day, huh?"  
  
"Yep! Today I get my brown belt," crowed Harry.  
  
"The Master is so proud of you Harry. He says he hasn't had a student with so much drive, grace, energy, and talent since we were his students," said Maria.  
  
Harry, curious, turned to Sara and said "Speaking of the others where is David?"  
  
" He's making sure everything's set up for the picnic. Renee, Paul, Sara, and I put up the wards last night," answered Maria.  
  
This statement made Harry wonder. "Wards? What for?"  
  
Maria looked grim for a moment and replied, "You remember what happened at your ninth birthday don't you? We don't want a repeat of that. Not that it was your fault." "Oh yeah. That," said Harry remembering what happened that day.  
  
" I don't want to have to sit up with you while you have nightmares for weeks like last time. It's not good for you." Maria then turns and looks pointedly at the clock. "Isn't it time for us to get going?"  
  
"Yipe! You're right. We need to hurry or Sifu's going to be mad!" exclaims Harry as he finishes eating, grabs his stuff, and rushes for the door.  
  
At the end of the rather beautiful presentation ceremony the sifu(instructor, teacher) claps Harry on the back. "I'm so proud of you Harry. A brown belt at ten. You are a natural! Now. Go enjoy the picnic with your friends."  
  
"Yes Sifu," says Harry with a respectful bow. He then runs off to join the water balloon fight.  
  
"Harry! Please change out of the silk first," calls Paul. "Especially if you're going to have some of this delicious watermelon."  
  
"Alright!"  
  
"C'mon Harry! Hurry up and change. We can't start this party without you."  
  
"I'm done Sam. Where are the water balloons?"  
  
  
  
"Here's a towel Harry, dry off," says Maria handing the towel to Harry. "We're about to start eating, we've got some yellow watermelon. Your favorite, but you have to dry off first."  
  
Once Harry is dry, the food and drinks are passed out. "A toast to Harry. The youngest brown belt this base has seen in a while!" prompts David.  
  
"To Harry!"  
  
"Harry, if you're finished, you can go play. Sara, Renee, Paul, David, and I need to discuss something in private," said Maria.  
  
"I think I see Sam, Erin, Mike, and Jessie over at the creek," Renee says pointing out Harry's best friends who are standing on a rock looking down into the water on the side of the creek closest to the trees.  
  
Harry goes over to them, and joins them in their interest in the creek. A little girl comes running up to them wanting to play with them.  
  
"Hey Chrissie. Be careful OK?" calls Jessie.  
  
As Chrissie is running toward them, she trips over a rock, going sprawling. Chrissie begins crying, holding her skinned knee. As the others come running Chrissie turns to the rock she tripped over, and begins shrieking, terrified.  
  
"Chrissie, what's wrong?" asks Harry as he runs to her side.  
  
Chrissie shrieks and points hysterically "S-Sn-SS-SSSnnn-"  
  
Looking where she's pointing and sees a red, black, and yellow striped snake. As he is looking at the snake Harry remembers the rhyme he learned as a Cub Scout to tell whether a snake is poisonous or not: "Red and Yellow: kill a fellow, red and black: it's ok Jack". He then looks more closely at the snake and sees that the stripes go: red, black, yellow, black, red etc., meaning its not poisonous.  
  
"It's Ok Chrissie. It won't hurt you," Harry calls as he moves to pick the little girl up. As he bends down he hears a voice saying ~What's going on? What happened? What's all the stamping about? Who are you?~  
  
~Was that you?~ asks Harry staring at the snake.  
  
~You can understand me? Cool!~  
  
"Harry? What's going on?" sniffles Chrissie as he picks her up and sets her on her feet.  
  
Maria and the rest of the adults come running over. "Harry! What happened? Is Chrissie okay?" asks Sara as she comes running up.  
  
"I tripped on the rock and skinned my knee. Then I saw a snake and it scared me, but Harry talked to the snake and saved me! He says its name is Sessily Seuss. It won't hurt me!"  
  
"Is that right Chrissie?" asks David. "How did you know its name Harry?"  
  
"Umm.she told me?" replies Harry.  
  
At this Harry's friends pipe up. "So Harry you can talk to snake? That's cool!"  
  
"Yeah Erin's right! I wish I could talk to snakes too!" crows Mike.  
  
"But.but how?"  
  
"Simple Harry, you're a Parselmouth. The language you were speaking is called Parseltongue," replies Renee.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It just means you can talk to serpents. That's all. It doesn't mean that you're evil or anything like that," explains Paul.  
  
"Now then Harry, go back to the party. Chrissie will be all right. We'll have that knee fixed up in no time. So go have fun."  
  
"Yes Maria," with that Harry runs off to enter the water balloon fight that is in progress across the clearing.  
  
"Paul, David, Sara, Renee," Maria says getting their attention. "We need to finish the conversation that was just interrupted, and we need to do it today."  
  
Later that night the adults were having a, rather loud, discussion.  
  
"I know Renee, I don't want him to leave any more than you do, but he has a destiny that he has to fulfill. We all knew this when we decided to raise him as our own. Hogwarts maybe one of the safest places for him to come into his true abilities. We can't continue to shield him the way we have been. We won't be able to hide his powers from the darkness full-time much longer. Because of this he needs to learn not only to control his magic, but to defend himself against others who use that same type of magic without setting of the kind of alarm bells he would if he used the type he has been taught up to now. You KNOW THAT!"  
  
"I know but.Maria!" cries Renee.  
  
"Maria's right Renee. Hogwarts has the kind of wards needed to protect and hide Harry, in strength, and type, as well as age. Some of the wards on the school are 1000 years old and have been gathering power the entire time," Paul reminded Renee.  
  
"Besides, with what we have taught him, he should not have too many problems," Sara pointed out.  
  
"If worst comes to worst, the castle itself will defend him."  
  
"I know that David, but. I just don't want to see him hurt," sobs Renee.  
  
"We all don't want that to happen, but you know that there are things that have to happen if the timeline is to be preserved so that we can intervene when the time is right," Maria reminded them all. "It's time to send Dumbledore the package. Let's let him explain Hogwarts to Harry!"  
  
"What?" Sara sounded confused. "What do you mean 'let him explain'?"  
  
"Well, how about we include another note in the package. Inviting Albus(A/N: Dumbledore is getting too long to type) to visit Harry and see for himself that Harry is fine and happy. Instead of just sending the container for the Hogwarts Letter." Maria explains with a smirk. "I mean, the man was going to leave Harry with the Dursleys of all people. UGH! He deserves a little stress."  
  
Paul can barely contain his laughter, "You sneak Maria!"  
  
An evil grin comes over David's face. "That's really devious. I love it!"  
  
About 20 minutes later they gathered around a table. On the table was a metal tube. Next to the tube was a stack of letters. After checking to make sure everything was there, the Guardians (Paul, Renee, Sara David, and Maria) placed the papers into the tube, sealed it, placed their hands on it, and began to concentrate. With a bright flash of light it disappeared.  
  
At that moment, screaming, crying, and sobbing could be heard coming from Harry's room.  
  
The Guardians rushed up the stairs to Harry's room. Maria got there first. "Harry? What's wrong Little One? What is it? Another nightmare?" Maria sounds worried as she sits on the bed next to where Harry was sobbing.  
  
"'Ria, it was so horrible! I heard voices, a man and a woman then a woman screaming, an evil laugh, and then I saw a green flash of light! Why do I keep having this dream?!?!"  
  
"Harry! Oh sweetie, that one again," Maria cries as she holds him close.  
  
Renee reaches the bed and turns to Harry, "I thought you'd stopped having that one."  
  
"Harry, remember what we told you about your parents, and how you came to live with us?" asks David.  
  
"Yeah I think so," says Harry wiping the tears from his face. Sara sits next to Maria on the edge of Harry's bed. "Sweetie, the night Maria got you, your parents had been killed by a monster by the name of Voldemort. He tried to kill you too, but the curse that he used rebounded and destroyed his body. Remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah. I remember now. 'Ria, will you stay with me tonight?"  
  
"Of course Harry. When ever you need me or any of us we will be there." With this Maria sat down in the chair next to Harry's bed, to stay for the night.  
  
Turning to the others she says, "It's all right, you can go. Make sure that what we talked about earlier happened without any hitches."  
  
As the others left, Paul, the last one to leave, kisses Harry goodnight, turns out the light and shuts the door.  
  
Dumbledore sits at his desk preparing the paperwork for the upcoming year, occasionally grabbing a " Lemon drop" to suck on. Behind him Fawkes, his loyal phoenix, snoozes on his perch. Albus is so deep into his paperwork that a sudden "POP-CLUNK" startles him.  
  
"Oh! Is it that time already?" wonders Albus as he looks up to see a tube- like container sitting on a bare spot on his desk. He looks around his office, taking in the pictures on the shelves. They are of Harry. They seem to progress as Harry ages. Pictures of Harry on his second birthday, his third, him being awarded each successive Taichi ranking. Along with each (Muggle) photo was a letter from Harry's guardians describing what happened that year and how Harry was progressing.  
  
He opens the tube, clearly expecting more of the same. As he reads the letter attached to the normal picture, if he had been anyone but Albus his jaw would have dropped. As it was the twinkle in his eyes seems to double in brightness.  
  
He tosses some powder into the fire and calls out "Minerva!"  
  
A head appears in the fire. It's Minerva McGonagall. "Yes Albus?" she replies.  
  
"Its time!"  
  
A/N: I will try to update once a week. To my reviewer: 'Mes thanks. I am plotting out future chapters as I write current ones i.e. plotting 3,4,5 while writing 2. Harry will be different. But mostly the Harry we know and love. Other characters will be different however, because of how the changed Harry interacts with them.  
  
Review or don't. I'm not writing this for the reviews. I'm writing this because the plot bunny has a firm hold on my ankle and won't let go! Six pages Woohoo! 


	3. The Letter edited

Chapter 3 The Letter  
"Its time, Minerva."  
  
Minerva looks at Dumbledore, slightly confused. "What do you mean 'It's time'?" Minerva is wearing a nightcap and looks as though she has just been woken from a sound sleep.  
  
"Never mind that Minerva, tell the others there will be a staff meeting first thing tomorrow in the staff room."  
  
"Alright Albus, but what's it about?" Minerva asks slightly perplexed, as it is 2.5 months before the new year begins.  
  
"Our little lost wizard, Minerva," Albus tells her with an increased twinkling in his eyes.  
  
Minerva looks shocked as she realizes whom the Headmaster means. "You don't mean.?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"I just got this years letter from his guardians." Albus says holding up the tube so that Minerva can see it.  
  
"But it's too early for that this year."  
  
"I'll explain at the meeting. Just contact the other professors and get some sleep, Minerva."  
  
The next morning the staff gathers in the staff lounge. The door opens and in strides a tall pale thin man with black hair and a nose that looks like it has been broken at least once. He is dressed in long black heavy robes. "Minerva, just why did Albus call this meeting? What's so important that we must get up early after the students are gone for the summer?"  
  
McGonagall turns to the man and answers, "I'm not sure Severus. Albus didn't tell me anything other than a rather cryptic remark about 'Our little lost wizard'"  
  
"Wonder what he could have meant by that?" a short wizard asks as he comes floating into the room.  
  
: He couldn't possibly mean. nah!: Severus thinks as he claims a seat by the fire at the far end of the room and wait for the Headmaster to arrive and start the meeting he called the previous night.  
  
In walks Albus. He's carrying a cup of tea, which he sips from. "Good morning. I see you all made it. Severus, how are you this morning?" Albus walks over to the chair next to Severus and sits.  
  
"I'm fine Headmaster, but what is this meeting about?"  
  
"Yes Albus, exactly what did you mean by 'Our little lost wizard'?" Minerva asks as she takes a cup of tea for herself, and sits on one of the couches that lined the room.  
  
"Tea Severus?"  
  
"No thank you Headmaster."  
  
"Well Minerva, late last night I received the yearly package from Harry Potter's guardians.  
  
Hagrid snorts and says "Guardians heh- ye mean his kidnappers."  
  
"No Hagrid. I mean the people who have taken care of him for the last ten years. The ones who have made sure that he is happy," Dumbledore explains to Hagrid.  
  
Severus thinks for a moment and asks "But don't they usually send the package on July 31, Harry's birthday?"  
  
"True, but this years package included something extra, a letter. It says: 'Dear Headmaster:  
  
Harry is doing well. He has earned his brown belt and his sifu (master) is very proud of him. As you know he will be 11 this year and we feel that its time for him to attend Hogwarts as his parents wished. Instead of returning Harry's letter with this package we would like to invite you to come and see how Harry is doing for yourself. Doing so will allow you to explain Hogwarts to him personally. One of us will be arriving in your office to pick you up at 6:00 pm GMT on July 31. Please make sure that there are no active magical experiments going at that time. We believe our method transportation to be compatible with all the types of wards currently in place at Hogwarts, but cannot guarantee there will be no unfortunate adverse results occurring because of the combination of unknown wards and our mode of transportation.  
  
Please do as we ask  
  
We look forward to your visit  
  
Harry's Guardians'  
  
A woman with short white hair and yellow eyes looks astonished "Albus you can't be considering this!"  
  
"Madame Hooch (A/N: What is her first name anyway) is correct, Headmaster. How do we know these people mean you no harm?" asks the short-floating wizard.  
  
"Really Flitwick. (A/N: Any one know his first name) if these people are half as powerful as they say, there's nothing we can do, except do as they ask. After all they did give us a warning."  
  
"Exactly right, Severus. Every year the package from them appears on my desk with only the slightest tremor in the wards. Remember Minerva, how we tried to track the packages form those first few years?"  
  
"Yes Albus, I do. We never got anywhere. Once we figured out which set of magical frequencies to look at we still found only the slightest traces of magic, and those traces seemed to have multiple magical signatures."  
  
Dumbledore look serious ad states flatly "I'm going." Albus then left the room to a chorus of "But.What about.and Are you sure?" None of the others noticed that Severus maintained his silence.  
  
They turned to Minerva and one of them asked, "What does the Book of Magical Children say about Harry?"  
  
She thinks for a moment and then looks shocked at something she remembers. " Harry's name is listed, but his location has been obscured since Godric's Hollow."  
  
"How is that possible, that Book was established by the Founders?"  
  
"I.don't.know."  
  
The room degenerates into muttering, Severus is still silent.  
  
A voice is raised "How can we trace the source of the magic when they come to get the Headmaster?"  
  
Several of the staff proposes ideas. While this process is bandied about Severus looks increasingly perturbed. Finally he speaks up, "Do you really think its wise to attempt to tamper with magical skills we know nothing about in the face of the warning we have been given? Should we take the chance that there will be disastrous results?" Severus than gets up and leaves the room thinking: Those fools. They don't know what they're up against! They can't penetrate the blocks that are facing them.  
  
On July 31, about 1 PM CST, Harry and his Guardians are gathered in the living room. All of the furniture has been moved to the walls, so that the central area of the room is clear.  
  
"Harry, for your lesson in mage craft today, you will be observing first hand the creation and use of a Gate. A cross Atlantic Gate." Renee informs Harry who is standing next to her.  
  
Sara turns to Paul and asks "Have you informed the others that we will be using a Gate this afternoon?"  
  
"Yes, I told them yesterday."  
  
Harry looks at them and asks "Is it necessary to tell others when you are going to Gate?"  
  
"Not really, Harry. Its just courtesy so that they won't be surprised, and they will be prepared," replies David.  
  
"It's time to start. Paul, would you do the honors?" Maria asks Paul.  
  
"Sure Maria." Paul turns to the center of the room and begins to create the Gate. As the doorway of energy appears in the room Maria turns to the others and asks if everything is ready. Harry didn't quite understand what they were talking about.  
  
Sara hands a large bundle of cloth to Maria and one to Paul once the Gate is open. They shake out the cloths and put on what turns out to be two floor length cloaks. Harry turns to Renee and asks, "What's going on?"  
  
Renee turns to Maria and Paul as if to say 'go on'. She turns to Harry and says, "Just wait Harry, you'll see." Maria and Paul walk through the Gate after pulling their hoods up. The Gate closes behind them.  
  
Dumbledore is sitting at his desk in his office when a Gateway made of energy opens in front of him. Out of the Gate walk two tall, cloaked figures. Dumbledore looks up from the paperwork on his desk. "I've been waiting for you. You're right on time."  
  
The shorter of the two figures lowers its hood revealing Maria. She turns to Dumbledore and says "Thank you for doing as we asked in regard to the wards. Are you ready to go?"  
  
Dumbledore nods and says, "Just let me let Minerva know I'm going." With that he turns to the fire and tosses in a handful of powder. He calls out "Minerva!"  
  
A head appears in the fire. It's Minerva McGonagall. "Yes Albus?"  
  
"I'll be leaving now," Dumbledore tells her. He turns to Maria and say, "I'm ready to leave now."  
  
Maria turns to the other cloaked figure and tells him, "Paul, open the Gate so we can leave."  
  
Back in the Post living room Harry turns to Renee and asks, "Where did they go?"  
  
"Just wait, they'll be back soon," with that a Gate opens in front of them. Out step Maria, Paul, and a tall older man Harry doesn't recognize. Harry turns to Sara and asks, "Who is that?"  
  
"Harry this is Albus Dumbledore. He is the Headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He knew your parents."  
  
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? What's that?" Harry looks to David and Renee, curious. Renee turns to Albus and says, "Why don't you tell him that? It is your school after all."  
  
"All right Harry. Hogwarts is the school your parents attended to teach them magic," Dumbledore explains. "Oh, so that's where they learned it," Harry says.  
  
"Harry, that's not all. Headmaster, tell him more about Hogwarts, please," Renee asks Dumbledore.  
  
"When your parents were 11 they each received a letter inviting them to attend Hogwarts. They attended school there for the next seven years. Now that you are 11 it's time for you to get your letter."  
  
David turns to Harry and says, "Why don't you show the Headmaster to the upstairs guestroom, he may need a chance to unwind."  
  
Harry, being a well brought up polite young man, turns to the Headmaster and says, "Sir, please follow me. I will show you to your room." With that Harry leads Dumbledore out of the room and up the stairs.  
  
Sara, Renee, and David turn to Maria and Paul. "So, how did it go?" "Where's his luggage?"  
  
Maria answers, "Everything went fine. I didn't see any luggage but he said he was ready to go and he was expecting us." Paul pipes up, "I think he accepted the experience of Gating rather well. Does not seem to have had any nasty side effects like the ones David sometimes has. He had the most beautiful phoenix sitting on a perch behind his desk."  
  
Harry shows the Headmaster into the room where he would be staying.  
  
"Is there anything that you want or need, sir?" Harry asks Dumbledore.  
  
"No. Thank you Harry," Dumbledore replies.  
  
Harry turns to leave and says, "I'll let Sara know you're settled in."  
Fifteen minutes later, Sara knocks on the door. "Headmaster? Are you settling in all right? How is the experience of Gating sitting with you? Any negative side effects?"  
  
Yes, I'm settling in all right," Dumbledore replies. "Gating was an interesting experience."  
  
"Things were a bit rushed earlier. We apologize. There was an emergency prediction that we needed to make sure the authorities knew about. Would you like something to eat?"  
  
Dumbledore has changed out of his robes and into a nice shirt and a dark pair of slacks. "Something to eat would be nice."  
  
"Later this afternoon Harry has Taichi practice. I'm sure he would welcome your presence. This evening we will be having a special dinner to celebrate Harry's birthday. Maria thinks that would be a good time to present Harry with his Letter," Sara tells Dumbledore.  
  
"I would love to see how Harry is doing. I agree, after dinner would be a great time to present Harry with his Letter," replies Dumbledore.  
  
Downstairs Maria can be heard talking to Harry. "You have practice today, remember? Don't forget your saber or your bow. Sifu called and said he has a special lesson planned for today." Harry pauses in gathering his things for the lesson. He looks apprehensive, "Aw man. Sifu's "special" lessons always leave me sore, stiff, exhausted, or all three. But they sure are fun."  
  
"One more thing, Harry. Would you mind if the Headmaster observed your lesson today. We think t would be a real eye opener for him," Maria said.  
  
Just then Dumbledore and Sara walked into the kitchen.  
  
Maria turned to them and asked the Headmaster what he would like to eat. " We have chili, spaghetti with meat sauce, stew, and of course, sandwich fixings."  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry and asked, "What would you recommend?"  
  
"The chili is very good," Harry replied. "In fact, I'll have some myself."  
  
"That sounds great Harry," Dumbledore said.  
  
"Remember not to eat heavily Harry," Sara reminded him thinking of the Taichi lesson he had later that afternoon.  
  
After they have finished eating Harry grabbed his stuff and headed to the door. They all head to the car. Sara turned to Dumbledore and sayed, "Don't forget to put o you seatbelt Headmaster."  
  
"Oh yes. It has been a while since I was in an auto," Dumbledore responded.  
  
Maria, who was driving, said to Dumbledore with out turning away form the road, "I think that you will find Harry's lesson interesting. His Sifu is a Grand Master and is teaching Harry the energy side of Taichi as well as the physical side. I do ask that while we're in public you refrain from doing any of the more flashy magics. Please. The people of the base will ignore any subtle, unusual things. This is the base of operations for the Cassandra Project after all. They're used to unusual things, and they know when not to ask."  
  
Dumbledore seemed puzzled by something. "You've mentioned this "Cassandra Project" before. What is it? And what did you mean by "Base of Operations" and "they know when not to ask"?"  
  
"Sara, you want to handle this?" Maria asked.  
  
Sara turned to the Headmaster, "the Cassandra Project is run by the American Military. It involves developing reliable precognition, distance sight, and healing that is similar to 'healing touch' but is more reliable and can be learned by almost anyone. In case you didn't notice you're currently on an Air Force base. All of the people you see around you are military personnel, their spouses, or their dependents. They know when not to speak and when not to see."  
  
Just then, the car pulled into the parking lot of a park. Harry calls out, "We're here! The lesson is outside today."  
  
About halfway through the lesson Harry and the Sifu put down the sabers they were using. Earlier they had practiced with the bow. The Sifu turned to Harry, "All right Harry ground to the earth and the sky. Center and reach for the energy. Feel it flow through you, filling every nook and cranny with light and heat."  
  
Maria turns to Dumbledore and asked, "So what do you think so far?"  
  
Dumbledore replieed, "Very interesting, but what are they doing now? It looks like they're just standing there."  
  
"Use Oversight. You'll see," said Maria.  
  
Dumbledore concentrated for a second and then what he was seeing changed drastically. Now Harry was almost glowing, suddenly the energy began to move. Harry seemed to be directing it. It reached out to touch one thing after another. Seeming to be examining each thing, some of the energy seemed to caress the things for a moment. Each place where the energy lingered was a plant that wasn't quite as healthy as it could be. Once the energy moved on, the plant was now healthier than before.  
  
"Harry! Stop playing around!"  
  
"Yes Sifu. Sorry," Harry replies.  
  
"Since you are obviously ready, let's start the actual exercise."  
  
The next thing Dumbledore saw was Harry's energy 'reaching' for the Sifu. It then wrapped itself around him, almost like it's looking/feeling for something. "What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Harry is learning to identify injuries, energy blockages, and scar tissue using chi, the energy of life," Sara explained to Dumbledore. "He's really good at it for his age."  
  
"He has lessons like this along with anatomy, and strategy at least once a week," Maria explained to Dumbledore.  
  
"Strategy? Why lessons in strategy?" Dumbledore asked confused.  
  
"Why to go with the lessons in military history and leadership of course."  
  
Dumbledore asked in astonishment, "These are a part of the normal school curriculum in America?"  
  
"No. Not even in the Department of Defense schools, at least not at this depth," Sara explained. Dumbledore seemed even more confused by this, "Well then why does he have these lessons?"  
  
Maria turned to the Headmaster to explain why Harry gets the lessons he does, "Albus! Do you really think that we would raise a child knowing that he would, at the very least, face the forces of Darkness-"  
  
Sara interrupted, "-If not have to lead the fight against those same forces- "  
  
Maria continued, "-and not teach him strategy and leadership."  
  
"Really! Use some common sense. Of course we did!" Sara said.  
  
"He took to it like a swan to water. He's a natural," Maria explained.  
  
After a delicious dinner of homemade chicken and dumplings they sat in the living room to discuss Harry's time at Hogwarts.  
  
Dumbledore was sitting across from Harry. "Harry, usually a Hogwarts Letter is delivered by owl mail on the child's eleventh birthday."  
  
"Owl Mail? What's that?" Harry asked perplexed.  
  
Dumbledore explained, "In the Wizarding world we use owls to deliver letters and packages. As we weren't sure of your address, and the fact that there re very few cross Atlantic owls, we couldn't send your Letter that way. Instead I'm here to deliver it in person." With this Dumbledore handed Harry an envelope addressed to: Harry Potter  
  
Address Obscured  
  
Harry looked a little confused by this but opens it to read the letter anyway. It said:  
  
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, Int'l Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mr. Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins n September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.  
  
Yours Sincerely Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress"  
  
Harry turned to Maria and asked, "Why is it addressed to 'Mr. Potter' Maria?"  
  
"Harry, your parents named you Harry James Potter. When they died there were two choices of where to place you. One was with your mother's sister Petunia, her husband and spoiled whale of a son. You would have grown up miserable and repressed. They hated those with magic, including your mother Lily. The other option was to place you with a wizarding family where you would have grown up a celebrity. You've seen how child stars turn out. It's never pretty. We couldn't allow either of these to come to be, so we took you, and adopted you," Maria explained.  
  
"Oh yeah. I remember. After that monster Voldemort killed my parents right?" said Harry.  
  
Sara responded, "Right Harry."  
  
Paul said, "Since Hogwarts starts on Sept 1 you get and extra two weeks off."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Harry, "How did you know about Voldemort?"  
  
Harry responded matter-of-factly, "They told me, of course."  
  
This little bit of information startled Dumbledore. "How much have you told him? And do you think that was wise?" he asked turning to Maria.  
  
Maria responded "Only that his parents knew magic and were murdered by a human monster by the name of Voldemort and that they gave their lives to save Harry's."  
  
Dumbledore replied, "That seems appropriate."  
  
They headed into the kitchen for cake and presents.  
  
"Blow out your candles and make a wish Harry."  
  
Harry blew out the candle and Renée served the cake.  
  
Maria handed Harry a small/medium package and said, "Open it. It might come in handy this year at school."  
  
Harry opened the package revealing a knife and sheath. Dumbledore looked at it closely and was shocked. "That's an atheme!"  
  
"I thought it would be handy this year," Maria told Harry and Dumbledore.  
  
Paul handed Harry a box. Inside was a new pair of inline skates. "Since you outgrew your pair. I trust it won't be a problem Headmaster?" Paul said as Harry tries on the skates.  
  
Renee handed Harry a backpack. "Remember the carpet bag in 'Mary Poppins'?"  
  
Harry looked at it, "You mean the bottomless one?"  
  
"Yeah, its something like that," Renee explained. "Just be sure you can pick it up."  
  
Sara pulled a package shaped suspiciously like a book from behind her back. "Since I'm not sure how you're going to keep up your Qigong lessons, I thought this might help."  
  
Harry unwrapped the package revealing a book entitled "Qigong Through the Ages" written by a succession of chi masters through the centuries. Harry flipped it open in the middle and saw that the pages were blank.  
  
"What good is this? " Harry said displaying the blank pages. "When you're ready for the knowledge it will appear. You'll have to continues your energy exercises yourself."  
  
Dumbledore looked astonished, "Isn't that a lot of responsibility for a lad so young to take on?"  
  
Maria responded, "We expect more from Harry than the average child, and he has always lived up to our expectations." With that Harry turned beet red proving his redheaded heritage.  
  
David handed Harry another book shaped package. "Here, I think this might come in handy." Harry opened the book to reveal a book. Upon opening the book and seeing its blank pages he said, "More blank pages?!?"  
  
David explained, "This is for you to write in. What has happened and what you think might happen."  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry and handed him a book saying, "I apologize for not having birthday wrapping paper, Harry."  
  
Harry took the book entitled "Hogwarts a history" thinking to himself: this is almost as bad as getting underwear for Christmas!:  
  
The next morning they sat down to breakfast. "Most families don't have time to eat together in the mornings but we eat as a family as often as we can," Sara commented to Dumbledoreas she was setting out plates of eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit and boxes of cereal. "Do you want some toast?' she asked pulling the toaster towards her. "Waffles? Juice, milk, coffee, tea? We have Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Darjeeling."  
  
Dumbledore said, "Such a large assortment for such a small family?"  
  
Renee responded, "We have access to materials form all over the world. After all, this is a very diverse community we live in."  
  
Paul walked into the kitchen carrying a cup of coffee and asked, "What would you like to do today Headmaster?"  
  
"I don't know. What is within a convenient distance?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
David stumbled in to the kitchen just then, half awake. "What about showing him around the base. That way he can see Harry's friends."  
  
"Great idea David," Maria said as she sat down to eat breakfast. "David, are you alright?"  
  
David looked at her while getting a cup of coffee, "I'm fine. I just need to stop by the office to talk to the Commander at some point today. There's something she needs to know."  
  
Later that day, after lunch, Dumbledore, Maria, Renee, and Sara were watching Harry with his friends in the swimming pool.  
  
Dumbledore turned to the three of them and said, "We need to decide where Harry's going to meet Hagrid."  
  
"We will be staying at the Lower Tadfield Airbase*. Hagrid will recognize that he's at the right place by the sign that reads "Pease Is Our Profession*". We'll be there in a week and will be staying until school starts," Sara explained. Maria turned to Dumbledore and said, "We will send a letter so that Hagrid can get onto the base, but he will need some kind of identification with a picture.  
  
Dumbledore said, "I'll make sure he has some when he picks Harry up on August 10."  
  
"One of us will be accompanying Harry to Diagon Alley. It's the only way he'll be safe," Renee told Dumbledore.  
  
"Hagrid will bring the key to the Potter vault with him. What do you mean "it's the only way he'll be safe'?" Dumbledore demanded.  
  
"The way Harry's protections currently work, its best if one of us is with him. It works like a Blood Bond," Maria told Dumbledore.  
  
"A Blood Bond? What's that?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"It's based on some of the oldest, most basic, and strongest magic. Our magic regards Harry as our child. His magic regards us as his parents/protectors. Even "Muggles' know of this type of magic. "Muggle" children often become 'Blood Brothers/Sisters'. One thing, tell Nick Sifu says Hello," said Maria.  
  
Later that evening Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts. After he left, Harry's Guardians presented him with one last birthday present.  
  
"We didn't want the Headmaster to know about this one," said Maria as David and Paul carried a trunk into the room.  
  
"It's from all of us," Renee told Harry.  
  
"It's not just a regular trunk Harry. Put your hand on the crest and focus your chi," Maria told Harry. He did so and to trunk opened to reveal an empty interior.  
  
"No one but you can open this trunk. Just make sure you close it each time you open it," Paul told Harry.  
  
Sara handed Harry a key. "Here, close the lid, put your hand on the crest, put the key in the lock and turn it. I think you'll find something interesting."  
  
Harry put his hand on the crest, the key in the lock, focused his chi, and turned the key. As the lid opened a staircase was revealed.  
  
"Go on, Harry," David said.  
  
Harry went down the stairs into a lushly decorated library. They followed Harry down the stairs.  
  
Renée went to the end of the room and pointed out a cubby the size of a small box of Kleenex®. "This is how you will be able to send and receive mail from home. You will be able to send home letters anytime you want, but we will only be able to send you a letter once a week, and a small package every other week, except for emergencies, of course."  
  
Paul pointed out that the size limit was only for the time when the packages were transferred and that Harry knew how to 'Zip' and 'UnZip' matter reducing it in size.  
  
Harry looked dumbfounded, and then burst into a huge grin.  
  
A/N: * The first one to get this reference gets a cookie. 


	4. Making Friends?

Chapter 4 Making Friends?  
  
A/N: I don't own anything that you recognize.  
  
A tall, very tall, man on a motorcycle pulled to a stop on the side of the road just outside lower Tadfield. He seemed lost. He pulled out a map looking for someplace. It was Hagrid. He was on his way to pick up Harry and he was lost. As he looked around he saw a group of kids heading out of a field led by a golden haired boy and his Dog. The boy looked to be all of about 12, while the Dog looked to be of no particular breed other than Mongrel. The boy came up to Hagrid and asked, "Hey Mister. Are you lost?"  
  
"Can ye tell me how ta get ta Lower Tadfield Airbase?" Hagrid asked the boy.  
  
The boy thought for a moment and replied, "Sure. You keep going down this road until you get to the mansion. After that you turn left. Keep on that road and it will take you to the airbase."  
  
Hagrid thanked the boy and road off. One of the other children turned to the lead boy and asked, "Adam, isn't that where you met that new boy Harry?"\  
  
One of the Them turned to Adam and said, "That guy sure was unusual. I wonder what he's going to do at the base." Another one piped up, "I wonder how he's going to get onto the base. He must know someone important."  
  
"Maybe Harry is more important than we thought." Adam looked thoughtful; he'd known all along that there was more to Harry than the others thought. He'd always felt a kind of kinship with Harry for some reason.  
  
Maria called Harry in from where he was playing with a group of kids. She told him, "Harry, its time to get ready to go to Diagon Alley." With this the other children left to go explore the fields. About 30 minutes later the phone in the kitchen rang. It was the guard at the gate confirming Hagrid's letter of clearance. After confirming to the guard that yes, they were expecting Hagrid, Maria turned to Harry and said, "Hagrid will be here in a few moments."  
  
A few minutes later Harry heard a motorcycle pull up outside the house he was staying in. Maria, Sara, and Harry went outside to greet Hagrid. "Hello Hagrid. This is Harry," Maria said as Hagrid got off the bike.  
  
"So Harry, ready to go get your school supplies?" Hagrid asked Harry.  
  
Harry turned to Maria and asked, " How will we be getting there?"  
  
"A nice young sergeant will be driving us. You can leave your motorcycle here. It will be safe," Maria told Hagrid.  
  
"Us? Who's us?" Hagrid asked as a car pulled up.  
  
"You didn't think we'd allow Harry to go to Diagon Alley alone did you?" Maria asked Hagrid as she walked to the car. The driver, a young male sergeant, got out to open the doors for them. "Ready to go ma'am?" the sergeant asked Maria.  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Sergeant," Maria replied as she shooed Hagrid into the car with Harry.  
  
They were about halfway to London when the driver spoke. "So, why are you going to London today ma'am? If I may ask."  
  
Harry turned to him and said, "We're getting my school supplies. " The sergeant continued to talk to Harry all of the way to London. Once they entered the city Hagrid gave the driver instructions on how to get to the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"The Leaky Cauldron? I've never heard of it," said the sergeant, but followed Hagrid's instructions anyway.  
  
Once they pulled to a stop in front of their destination the sergeant was confused. He couldn't see anything there.  
  
He turned to Maria and asked as she was getting out of the car, "Ma'am? Are you sure this is where you're supposed to be?" Maria placed her hand on the sergeant's arm and concentrated for a moment. As she did what the sergeant saw changed. Suddenly he could see a tiny, grubby looking pub with a sign out front the read 'The Leaky Cauldron'.  
  
"Do you see it now Sergeant?" asked Maria as she took her hand off of his arm.  
  
"Yes ma'am. But how?" replied the sergeant.  
  
Sara turned to him and said, "You know better than to ask that question. There are some things you don't need to know."  
  
"Yes ma'am. Sorry ma'am," the sergeant said looking contrite.  
  
"Pick us up here in four hours," Maria told him.  
  
"Yes ma'am," said the sergeant. With that Maria, Sara, Harry, and Hagrid entered the pub.  
  
As their eyes adjusted to the dim light inside one of the wizards recognized Harry. "Oh my! Is that really Harry Potter?" he asked as he walked over.  
  
"Hello Professor Rangell. Harry this is Professor Rangell. He will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year at Hogwarts," Hagrid said.  
  
"Hello Harry. I'm looking forward to teaching you this year," the Professor said as he shook Harry's hand. As he did so pain shot through the scar on Harry's forehead. Something about Rangell made Harry's skin crawl and set off all of his internal alarms.  
  
"Hello Professor," Harry said removing his hand from Rangell's as soon as he could. Harry had always been taught to trust his gut. It was usually right.  
  
"Good day Professor. We must be going now," Sara said as she guided Harry away from Rangell. He creeped her out too.  
  
Hagrid guided them out the back door of the pub. He stopped in front of a brick wall.  
  
"How are we getting to Diagon Alley?" Harry asked, perplexed.  
  
"Just ye watch Harry," with that Hagrid pulled out the umbrella he carried and tapped the bricks. He seemed to be counting them.  
  
"Three up. two across," said Hagrid. As he tapped the last brick they began to rearrange forming an archway. Above it hung a sign that read 'Welcome to Diagon Alley'.  
  
"Okay Harry, the first place we go is Gringotts," Maria said turning to Hagrid. "I believe you have Harry's key to the Potter vault."  
  
"Right. This way," Hagrid said leading them to a large ornate building. As they walked through the large silver doors Harry could only stare in awe. Once they were inside he noticed a plaque bearing the inscription:  
  
Enter stranger but take heed Of what awaits the sin of greed. For those who take, but do not earn Must pay most dearly in their turn. If you seek, beneath our floors A treasure that was never yours Thief you have been warned beware Of finding more than treasure there.  
  
Hagrid noticed where Harry was looking and said, "Ye'd have ta be mad ta try an rob Gringotts. The goblins who run this place guard their treasure very carefully."  
  
They made their way over to the main counter. Once there Maria went over to a free goblin. "I would like to access vault # 346. The Post vault," she told the goblin.  
  
"Very well. Do you have the key?" the goblin asked in a bored way.  
  
"That vault doesn't have a key. There is another mans of access," Maria said.  
  
This seemed to startle the goblin for a moment. He looked the vault up in the register in front of him. What he read shocked him. "You can't access that vault. Only specific people can," he said.  
  
"Yes. I know. I'm the one that had it set up that way. Paul is the one that transferred the funds, but I made sure that we all had access," Maria told the goblin exasperated.  
  
This shocked the goblin even more. He left to get his superior as this situation was beyond his experience.  
  
The superior walked up. "I'm sorry ma'am, but did you say vault 346? I'll have to ask you to verify your identity," the superior said as he pulled out a flat piece of crystal about the size of a computer screen. Maria placed her hand on it and focused her chi into the stone for a moment.  
  
After reading her chi signature an image appeared on the stone along with some information. The superior looked carefully at what appeared on the crystal, comparing it to the woman in front of him and the information in the vault registry. It all matched.  
  
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience Madame. But it was necessary to verify your identity before granting access to that particular vault," it said shooing the subordinate away to see to other customers.  
  
"Yes. I know. As I said before, I'm the one who had it set up that way," Maria told the goblin.  
  
While Maria was speaking with the supervisor Hagrid noticed a free goblin and went up to the desk to speak to him.  
  
"I'm here to access the Potter vault," Hagrid told the goblin. "Vault 712 also"  
  
The goblin replied, "You have the key to the Potter vault?"  
  
"Yeah. Got it right here," Hagrid said pulling out a small golden key.  
  
As the goblin began to usher Hagrid away from the desk, Maria and the supervisor came walking over. "We'll be going with you. We have a stop to make," Maria told Hagrid as they all were lead over to what looked like a roller coaster car. Once they all got in Maria turned to Harry and said, "You'd better center and brace yourself, Harry. You too Sara."  
  
With this the cart pulled away from its starting point. When it reached its first destination it jerked to a halt. As the cart came to a halt Hagrid, who was looking a little green, asked the goblin, "Can ye go any slower?"  
  
"One speed only," the goblin replied.  
  
Maria stepped from the cart and beckoned Harry and Sara to follow her. As they reached the vault door Harry noticed that it didn't have a keyhole, instead in the middle of the door was a raised crest. It was a Thunderbird (A/N: No. Not the car) Maria turned to Harry and said, "Watch carefully Harry. You'll need to know how to do this." She then placed her hand on the crest and concentrated. The crest began to glow and the door opened. "It's sensitive to chi signatures. Only those who are authorized can open it. Anyone else who tries will get a nasty shock. About 50 volts worth. Not enough to kill, but still painful. If they try again, the voltage will increase. It will eventually reach lethal levels." The door opened completely revealing a vault filled with gold, silver, and bronze coins. There were also precious stones and a file drawer with land deeds and other important papers. Maria pulled out one of each kind of coin. She held them up and said to Harry, "These are Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. The gold one is the Galleon; it's worth 17 of the silver Sickles. Each Sickle is worth 29 bronze Knuts. Don't ask me where they came up with the values. I have no clue."  
  
Sara turned to Harry after filling a bag with an assortment of coins and said, "This money is to pay for your schooling and supplies. The money your parents left you was intended for that purpose, but since we're taking care of that, we think you should use the money in the Potter vault to pay for other things and to help others. You will only be allowed to remove 25 Galleons, 55 Sickles, and 100 Knuts at a time. Think of it as your allowance."  
  
"What right do ye have to tell Harry how much he can or can't take?" Hagrid demanded.  
  
"The right as his legal guardians and caretakers," Sara told Hagrid.  
  
"Harry, come here," Maria told Harry. "Place your hand on the crest with mine once I close the door," she said closing the door. Harry did as Maria said. The crest bean to glow again, then it started to get warm. After a moment it cooled and stopped glowing.  
  
"It will now recognize you as having access to the vault. All you have to do is place your hand on the crest focus your chi. The door will then open," Maria told Harry as they headed back to the cart. They centered themselves again, and the cart got started. After another roller coaster like ride the cart came to a stop once again. This time they all got out. Hagrid handed Maria the key to the Potter vault and she unlocked it. She pulled out a bag and filled it with Harry's allowance, closed the bag, and shut the vault. After handing the bag to Harry she gave him the key to the vault and told him that he would only be allowed access twice a year unless he had permission from his guardians.  
  
They got back into the cart and headed down. They passed what appeared to be dragons.  
  
Harry turned to Hagrid and asked, "Are those really dragons?"  
  
"Yep, we're enterin' the high security vault area. I need ta get something fer Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid told Harry.  
  
The cart pulled to a stop in front of a vault whose door was completely blank. The goblin got out of the cart this time. He walked up to the door of the vault and stroked it. It seemed to melt away. Hagrid hurried to the vault and shoved something wrapped in brown paper under his coat. He nodded to the goblin and the door reappeared.  
  
"How often do they check the vaults to make sure no one's trapped in there?" Harry asked Hagrid, curious.  
  
"About ever' ten years," Hagrid replied. They got back into the cart and headed back up to the main floor of the Bank.  
  
Once outside the Bank Maria asked Harry what exactly was on the supply list. Harry dug the list out of his pocket and gave it to her to read. It said:  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Uniform First year students will require: 1. 3 sets of plain work robes (black) 2. 1 pointed hat (black) for day wear 3. 1 pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 4. 1 winter cloak, black with silver fastenings Please note that all students clothing should carry name tags.  
  
Course books All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
  
The Standard Book of Spell (grade 1) By Miranda Goshawk  
  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
  
Magical Theory by Albert Waffling  
  
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi By Phyllida Spore  
  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them By Newt Scamander  
  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self- Protection By Quentin Trimble  
  
Other Equipment  
  
1 wand 1 cauldron (Pewter, standard size 2) 1 set of glass or crystal phials 1 telescope 1 set brass scales Students may also bring on owl OR a cat OR a toad.  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
  
Sara turned to Harry and said, "The next place we go is the robe shop for your uniform." They walked down the street to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. As they walked into the shop they were met by Madame Malkin. "Hogwarts dear?" she asked Harry. When Harry said yes she led him to a back room to be measured and fitted for his robes and cloak. There was already someone else in the room. It was a boy with white/blonde hair. He was standing on a block. Harry was led to the block next to him.  
  
"Hogwarts eh?" the boy said. "My name's Draco," he said extending his hand.  
  
"I'm Harry," Harry said taking Draco's hand.  
  
"My father's across the street getting my books, and my mother's looking at wands. You're American aren't you?" Draco asked.  
  
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" Harry responded.  
  
"Well why aren't you going to an American school institution like Hogwarts?" Draco asked looking at Harry.  
  
"My parents went to Hogwarts and wanted me to go as well," Harry explained.  
  
"Oh, so you're a pureblood, then?" Draco said looking superior.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"You know. A Pureblood. Both of your parents are magical right?" Draco asked.  
  
"Yes. Why does it matter?" Harry responded.  
  
"Well father says that Muggleborns shouldn't be allowed at Hogwarts."  
  
To which Harry responded, "Well, we grew out of that kind of juvenile obsession long ago."  
  
"Well my father thinks that Muggleborns are a lower class and ought not be allowed to go to school with pureblooded children," Draco said.  
  
Harry responded, "I think you learn more by being around people who are different than by being around only those who are just like you."  
  
"Father says Muggles are weak stupid and helpless," Draco said dismissively.  
  
"Oh really," retorted Harry. "Have you ever heard of a place called 'Bikini Atoll'?"  
  
"What's that?" Draco demanded. Some place where all the birds wear two piece bathing suits?"  
  
Harry just smiled. "Maybe you should look it up. I think you might find it interesting. You may have to look for it. Don't talk to me about Muggles until you've found it."  
  
Draco looked surprised but agreed. "So, which House do you think you'll be in? I hope I'm in Slytherin."  
  
"I'm not sure. I'll just have to see," Harry replied looking thoughtful.  
  
"Maybe we'll be in the same House," Draco told Harry. "I think we'd be good friends."  
  
"To borrow a phrase Draco 'Our friendship could be the stuff of legends'," Harry told him.  
  
With that Draco's father came in through the door and Draco left the shop with him.  
  
Once Harry's robes were done they left the shop. They went across the street to buy Harry's books. From there they went to buy his potion supplies from the Apothecary shop. They then went to get Harry's wand.  
  
"Where are we going to get my wand?" Harry asked Maria.  
  
"Ollivander's," Maria said pointing to the shop down the street.  
  
The shop had a sign "Ollivander's: Fine Wands since 82 BC" hanging above the door. They walked into a dusty store. An old wizard came in from the backroom. He seemed surprised to see Harry's appearance.  
  
"Harry Potter? Is that you?" he asked. "I wasn't sure I'd see you. I assume you're here for a wand."  
  
"Maria told Ollivander, "Harry's been with us for the last 10 years. He's going to Hogwarts this year. He will be needing a wand." With this Ollivander began measuring Harry.  
  
He then went into the back of the shop and came out with an armful of boxes. "Which is your wand hand?" he asked Harry.  
  
Harry looked puzzled for a moment then held out his right hand and said, "I'm right handed but can use either."  
  
Ollivander opened one of the boxes and handed Harry the wand that was inside. "Here. Give this a wave."  
  
Harry was puzzled but did as he was asked anyway. As Harry waved the wand a spray of water appeared out of the tip. As soon as this happened, Ollivander took the wand from him and handed him another. "Here give this a try." This time when Harry gave the wand a wave the front window of the shop exploded out onto the street. Ollivander snatched the wand and handed Harry a third. Harry tried this one with similar results. This repeated itself a few more times before Harry stopped Ollivander.  
  
"Hang on. Rather than trying every wand in the shop, let me try something," Harry told Ollivander. He closed his eyes, held out his hand, and concentrated. He began moving his hand as if he were being directed by something he was feeling on the palm of his hand. He stopped and his face cleared. He pointed to a box at the back of the shop and said, "That one. I'll try that one next."  
  
Ollivander looked skeptical but got the wand anyway and gave it to Harry. Harry took the wand and looked almost entranced by the feel of it in his hand. It felt right! He gave the wand a wave and a series of red, gold, green, and silver sparks cascaded from the tip.  
  
"Curious," remarked Ollivander upon seeing which wand worked for Harry.  
  
Harry snapped out of the trance and asked, "What? What's curious?"  
  
"It's the wand that chooses the wizard or witch, not the other way round. That particular wand is unusual. It is 11" holly, but it has an unusual core. It is the core that gives the wand its magical abilities. That particular wand is unusual because it has two core elements. A phoenix feather and a Mocking Bird feather. The phoenix that gave the feather that resides in that wand gave just one other. That feather resides in the wand that gave you that scar. Voldemort's wand," Ollivander explained.  
  
Hagrid flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name. This caused Ollivander to notice him.  
  
"Is that you, Rubeus Hagrid? I remember you. Oak, 16". They snapped it when you were expelled right?" Ollivander asked Hagrid.  
  
Hagrid clutched his umbrella. "Yeah, they gave me the pieces."  
  
"You don't actually use them, do you?" Ollivander asked Hagrid.  
  
"Um.no.course not," Hagrid said clutching his umbrella even tighter.  
  
Ollivandr then turned to Maria and Sara and asked what type of wand they used.  
  
"We don't normally use a wand. When we have to, it doesn't really matter what type of wand we use," Sara told Ollivander.  
  
"Interesting. Usually a witch or wizard will pnly get the best results from a particular wand. How do you do magic if you don't use a wand?" Ollivander asked Maria and Sara, intrigued.  
  
"We use a different type of magic. We learn to manipulate the magical energy directly," Maria told Ollivander. She then remembered something. "Did you get the package?"  
  
"Yes. I have it. It's very interesting," Ollivander said.  
  
"Just make sure you keep it safe for Harry. He'll be ready for it someday, possibly someday soon," Maria told Ollivander. She then paid 7 Galleons for Harry's wand and they left the shop.  
  
Hagrid led them down the street to the Eyelops Owl Emporium. He turned to Harry and said, "You need a pet. Toads are dead common, and I can't stand cats me self, so an owl it is. Consider it a late birthday present."  
  
They entered the shop. It was dark and was filled by the soft sound of hooting.  
  
"Just pick one ye want," Hagrid told Harry.  
  
Harry looked around at the caged owls in the shop. He considered carefully. He finally picked a beautiful female snowy owl. He recognized the type of owl as one that lived in the northern US. He pointed to the owl and said, "That one, that's the one I want." The witch behind the counter noticed which owl he was pointing to and smiled. "That's a very good choice. She's very smart." Hagrid paid for the owl and they began to leave the shop. Maria turned to Harry and asked, "So Harry, what re you going to call your new owl?"  
  
Harry held up the cage and looked closely at the owl. "I'm not sure. What d you think? Huh? What's your name?" Harry asked the owl. "Maybe Blanca"  
  
The owl looked Harry in the eyes and Harry heard, *My name is Hedwig*  
  
"Hedwig? Is that your name?" Harry asked the owl.  
  
"Hedwig? That's an interesting name. How'd you think of it?" Sara asked Harry.  
  
"She told me. Didn't you hear her?" Harry asked, perplexed.  
  
"No Harry. All we heard was a soft hooting," Maria told him. "It did kinda sound like she was talking to you."  
  
"Oh. Before I forget. We need to make sure that we have the proper papers to get Hedwig onto the Base." Maria turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have papers certifying Hedwig's health? From the local vet?"  
  
"Papers? Sure, but most people don't bother to ask for them," the shopkeeper said as she reached below the counter.  
  
"Yes, but we don't have time to have Hedwig put into Quarantine for 6 months," Maria told the shopkeeper.  
  
"6 months? Why would the Quarantine be so long?" the witch asked as she pulled a folder filled with papers from under the counter.  
  
"We live in the US and the laws require that all animals with out vet papers go into Quarantine for 6 months when coming from overseas, especially from the UK," Maria explained to the shopkeeper.  
  
The shopkeeper handed the folder of papers to Maria who looked them over. Every thing seemed to be in order.  
  
They left the shop and headed down the street to the Leaky Cauldron. After a brief conversation with Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, he agreed to store the bulk of Harry's school supplies until September 1. All Harry kept with him were the textbooks, his wand, and Hedwig of course. When Hagrid asked why they were having Tom store the supplies, Maria replied, "It's just easier than trying to get them through base security. After all, we don't want to drive the drug and bomb dogs nuts."  
  
A few moments later the car to take them back to the base pulled up outside the pub. The driver got out and helped Harry put his books into the trunk of the car. As he opened the door to assist Maria and Sara into the car he noticed Harry's owl. He blinked slowly at the owl, and the owl blinked slowly back. He turned to Maria and said, "Um. Do you have the proper papers for the owl, ma'am?" He was not going to ask why they had an owl with them.  
  
"Yes, Sergeant. We have all of the right papers for Harry's new owl. Thank you for asking," Maria said to the sergeant.  
  
After a pleasant hour's drive, during which Harry spent most of the time getting to know his new owl, they were at the gates of the Airbase. As they were going through security one of the dogs noticed Hedwig and started barking.  
  
Harry noticed the dog's barking and said to it, *Don't worry, she's supposed to be here. Your person is checking her papers now. *  
  
This seemed to reassure the dog and it subsided with a muffled "Hrummmph". Hedwig responded with a soft "Hoooo." and Harry refrained from having the last word. Hagrid did not notice Harry speaking to the animals, and while the others might have, Maria and Sara expected it, and the guards knew better than to comment on something so far outside their duty assignment.  
  
From there they headed back to the house that Maria, Sara, and Harry were staying in. Hagrid retrieved his motorcycle and got ready to leave. As he was about to start the bike Maria turned to him and said, "Make sure that you're far from the base before you take to the air."  
  
"Headmaster Dumbledore explained to me about that," Hagrid said. Before he left he turned to Harry and said, "I'll see you September 1. Here's your ticket for the Hogwarts Express." With that Hagrid handed Harry a golden ticket. The information it had on it was that the train left from King's Cross Station in London from Platform (9 ¾) at 9 am on September 1. After giving Harry his ticket and saying goodbye to them all, Hagrid left. 


	5. Big Steps

Chapter 5 Big Steps  
  
A Properly Reared Wizard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, or any of the Harry potter characters, and am making no money from this story. Some portions of the text may have been taken directly from HP and the sorcerer's stone. They are marked with {'s. Anything you recognize I do not own and am making no money off of. Archiving: Want, ask, take, have  
  
The night before Harry was to leave for Hogwarts Maria and Sara sat him down in the living room of the house they were staying in. They had a few last things for Harry to take with him to Hogwarts.  
  
"Here Harry. We think this might come in handy," Sara said handing him a vial with what looked like two extremely large wolf canines in it. She handed him a second vial filled with what looked like blood.  
  
"Is this.blood?" Harry asked holding the vial up to the light for a better look.  
  
"Yes Harry. It's blood. The blood of a Dire wolf to be precise. We waited until tonight to give it to you because the fresher it is the more potent it is. Now don't lose it. It's very rare seeing as how Dire Wolves are thought to have died out with the Irish Elk at the end of the last Ice Age," Sara told Harry.  
  
"There was one last thing. A bundle of Dire Wolf fur. It would be best if you harvested it yourself," with that Maria's shape changed. She became a wolf the size of a mustang. Her forequarters and head were much larger in proportion to the rest of her body than a normal wolf's. Sara handed Harry a pair of scissors.  
  
"Well go on. Take some fur. It's still Maria under there." Harry moved slowly toward the wolf and cut a handful of fur. Once he had finished Sara said, "Don't forget to get some whiskers as well." Harry cut two whiskers from each side. He then handed the fur and whiskers to Sara who placed them into secure containers. Once she was done Maria changed back with a "POP".  
  
She shook her head, panting. "It's been a while since I've done that. Too long."  
  
Harry looked stunned. "Wha. how.?"  
  
"Harry, there are things about us that you don't know. You don't need to know so don't ask. When you need to know, we'll tell you OK?" Maria told Harry firmly.  
  
Sara looked pointedly at the clock and then at Harry. "Put that away in your trunk and then go to bed. You have to leave early in the morning."  
  
"Who will be taking me to the train station?" Harry asked.  
  
"I'll be taking you to the train station, but first we need to stop by the Leaky Cauldron to pick up the school supplies that tom is storing for you. So we'll need to leave early, about 6:30 to get your stuff and make it to the train station on time. You need to go to bed. Now, Harry." Maria told him shooing him up the stairs to his bedroom. She made sure that all of his things were packed for the train tomorrow.  
  
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Maria and Harry were waiting for the car to take them to London. What happened the night before still puzzled Harry so he asked Maria about it. "How did you turn into a wolf Maria?"  
  
"It's a long story Harry. The short answer is that I'm older than I look. Earlier in my life I became (not entirely voluntarily mind you) what can only be described as a Were Dire Wolf. The transformation is, for the most part, under my control, now anyway. That's all you need to know right now."  
  
As she finished saying this a car pulled up. It was being driven by the same sergeant as their first trip to London. He got out of the car and helped Harry load his trunk into the boot of the car. After helping Maria and Harry into the car he handed Harry the cage with Hedwig.  
  
"So Ma'am, where are we going this morning?" the sergeant asked as they passed through security.  
  
"Well Sergeant, first we will be going back to the Leaky Cauldron. There Harry will pick up the rest of his school supplies. After that we will be going to King's Cross Station so that Harry can catch the train to the school that he will be attending this year," Maria told him.  
  
After a quiet ride, they pulled up outside of the Leaky Cauldron. They went inside to speak with Tom. Tom directed them to where Harry's things were stored so that he could pack them. Harry began to pack his things and discovered that no matter how much he put into the first compartment it never quite filled. After he finished packing his things, both in the trunk and in his backpack, he went back out to where Tom and Maria were speaking.  
  
"Have you got everything, Harry?" Maria asked.  
  
"Yep, I've got everything. Are we going now?" Harry said to Maria.  
  
Maria turned to Tom and told him goodbye. She and Harry then went back out to the waiting car. "Sergeant to King's Cross Station please."  
  
"Yes Ma'am," the sergeant said starting the car.  
  
After they got to the station the driver asked Maria if he needed to wait for her, but she told him that she had another way to get back to the base.  
  
Maria and Harry got out of the car and walked into he station. They headed for Platforms 9 and 10 with Harry's trunk and owl on a pushcart. When they got there Harry asked, "How are we going to get onto Platform 9 ¾?"  
  
Just as Harry asked the question, what appeared to be a small mob of children, accompanied by a lone adult female, surged into the station. There were four boys and one young girl, all of them redheads. The woman spoke to the youngest boy, "Now, what's the platform number again?"  
  
"9 ¾ Mum," the girl piped up. "Can't I go with you, please?"  
  
The woman, her mother, turned to her and said, "Now Ginny, you know you can't, this year anyway. Next year you'll be going with your brothers to Hogwarts."  
  
She turned to the boys and ushered the first one through what looked like a solid support. "All right. You next Fred," she said to one of what looked like a pair of identical twins.  
  
"Jeez woman. Can't you tell your own children apart? I'm George," the twin told his mother snottily.  
  
"Sorry George," she told him.  
  
"Only Joking. I am Fred," the twin, Fred, told her.  
  
She looked exasperated and shooed him through the support.  
  
Maria walked up to her with Harry in tow. "Excuse me, but is this the entrance to Platform 9 ¾?"  
  
The woman looked startled by Maria's question but then she noticed Harry's trunk and owl. "Why yes. It is. Are you going to Hogwarts?"  
  
Maria poked Harry. "Well go on. Answer the lady."  
  
"Yes ma'am. It's my first year," Harry told the woman.  
  
"It's my son, Ron's first year as well. Come over here Ron," she said beckoning to the youngest boy.  
  
Suddenly Ginny noticed the scar on Harry's forehead. She tugged on her mother's sleeve. "Mum, Mum! That's Harry Potter!"  
  
The woman took a closer look at Harry. She turned to Maria, who was obviously with Harry. "Is that right"  
  
While this was going on Harry and Ron were talking.  
  
"Hello, my name is Ron Weasley," Ron said introducing himself.  
  
"Harry Post*." They shook hands.  
  
"So Harry, is this your first year at Hogwarts?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yep. Before they died my parents went to Hogwarts, so my Guardians thought it best for me to attend when my letter was delivered," Harry told Ron.  
  
"Say, you're an American."  
  
"Well, sort of. I did grow up in America and I am an American citizen, anyway. So Ron, how do you get onto the platform?" Harry said looking at the support the others had gone through earlier.  
  
"Oh, that's easy. You just walk through it. Best too run a bit if you're not sure." Ron explained. "Here I'll go first," Ron said turning and running at the support/ barrier. To Harry's amazement, he went right through it.  
  
Harry turned to Maria, who was about to answer Ron's mother, and asked, "Can I follow Ron through the barrier, Maria?"  
  
"Just a second Harry," Maria answered. "Do you mind if we finish this on the other side of the barrier?" she asked Ron's mother.  
  
"Sure, not a problem," Ron's mother said.  
  
Maria turned to Harry and told him, "Sure Harry. I'll be right behind you."  
  
As Maria ha given him permission, Harry walked calmly through the barrier with his guardian following closely behind.  
  
On the other side of the barrier Harry saw scarlet steam engine beside a platform packed with people. Harry moved aside so that Maria could come through the barrier. As he did so he noticed a sign of wrought iron hanging above the barrier. It read "Platform 9 ¾", and next to it was a clock with the time 8:35 on it.  
  
After making sure that Harry was in one piece and had all of his luggage Maria shooed him off to find a compartment for the trip. As Harry was walking off a boy came by asking if anyone had seen a toad. Upon receiving a negative answer he walked off asking other people.  
  
Maria turned to discover the woman she had been speaking with earlier.  
  
"I neglected to introduce myself earlier" Maria said holding out her hand. "My name is Maria Post."  
  
The woman took Maria's hand. "My name is Molly Weasley. Was that really Harry Potter?"  
  
"Yes, that was really Harry Potter, and I'm one of his guardians," replied Maria.  
  
"His guardians? Where has he been? The whole wizarding world has been looking for him the last ten years!" exclaimed Molly.  
  
"I'm one of the ones who made sure that he had a relatively normal and happy childhood free of being a celebrity. I'm just here to make sure that Harry gets on the right train. Now that that's done, I'll be leaving. It was really nice meeting you." With that Maria turned to go back through the barrier. As she did so, she contacted Harry one last time. {Harry, sweetie, Sara and I will be in England for two more weeks, just seeing the sights. If you need anything, just owl us, after that you know how to contact us, either send us a letter via the library, or contact one of us mentally. Be good, but have fun, and watch your back.} After passing through the barrier she headed for the nearest ladies room, entered an empty stall, and disappeared.  
  
Harry walked through the train looking for an empty compartment. After finding one he set his stuff down, checked on Hedwig and settled in.  
  
The Weasleys stuck their heads into the compartment. One of the twins, Fred, asked if anyone else was planning on sitting there and would Harry mind if Ron sat there. When Harry said "no" the twins shoved Ron into the compartment. As they did so Molly yelled through the window, "Be good you two! No pranks!"  
  
"Alright mum. We'll send you a toilet seat!" the other twin, George, yelled.  
  
"What?! George!" Mrs. Weasley yelled.  
  
"Bye mum! Got to go!" Fred yelled leaving the compartment.  
  
Ron got his stuff settled and sat across the compartment from Harry. He said, "Are you really Harry Potter? I thought you said your name was Harry Post?"  
  
Harry kind of sighed. [I'm gonna get this a lot aren't I?] "Yes my name is Harry Potter. But I grew up thinking of myself as Harry Post."  
  
"Can I see. you know," Ron said pointing to Harry's forehead.  
  
[That's gonna happen a lot too isn't it?] Harry thought to himself, but lifted his bangs so Ron could see his scar anyway. This seemed to satisfy Ron ass he settled in and kept quiet until the train began to move.  
  
A few moments after the train began to move a blonde haired, silver-eyed boy entered the compartment. It was Draco. He had with him his trunk and eagle owl. He seemed a little down, but when he noticed Harry he brightened right up.  
  
"Harry! There you are! Do you mind if I sit in this compartment?" Draco said.  
  
"Not at all, Draco. It's good to see you." Harry replied pointing to an empty place beside him. Draco set his stuff down next to Harry's and sat down.  
  
Harry pointed to Ron, whom Draco hadn't noticed, and introduced them.  
  
"Draco, this is Ron Weasley. Ron this is Draco; we met in Diagon Alley when I got my supplies. Draco you never did tell me your last name."  
  
"My last name's Malfoy." Draco said.  
  
Upon hearing Draco's last name, Ron sat up and started an argument.  
  
"My father says that your family's no good."  
  
"Yeah well my father says that the Weasleys have more children than they can afford.  
  
This continued for a while until Harry had had enough and put a stop to it.  
  
"Stop it! Both of you!"  
  
"But!" both of the boys cried.  
  
"I said enough! Ron, have you ever actually met or talked to Draco in person before?"  
  
"Well no."  
  
"And you Draco, the same goes for you. Have you ever talked to Ron before?"  
  
"No." Draco said sullenly.  
  
"Ron, Draco is not his father, just like you aren't identical to yours. So both of you leave it alone! I would like to be friends with both of you."** After Harry said this Ron and Draco both settled down for a while.  
  
After sitting there sulking for about ten minutes Draco remembered something.  
  
"Hey Harry, I remembered what you said and looked up the Bikini Atoll. You were right. I did have to look for it. I had no idea that Muggles had weapons that powerful." Draco said to Harry.  
  
"Yeah and that's before a thirty year arms race between the Communist countries and pretty much everyone else," Harry replied.  
  
Ron looked bewildered, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Bikini Atoll is where the American Military tested their hydrogen bomb for the first time. It will be uninhabitable for the next several millennia." Harry explained to Ron.  
  
Ron looked dumbfounded and appalled. "Were there any people on it?" he asked.  
  
"No. The government moved all of the people off first, but they can't go back to their native land or retrieve anything they left behind." Harry explained to Ron while Draco nodded having read all of this when he looked up the island.  
  
They heard a muffled gasp form the doorway. Standing there was a girl with frizzy brown hair who had her hand over her mouth.  
  
"And who are you?" Draco asked snottily.  
  
"Hermione Granger. I came by to see if anyone has seen a toad when I heard you talking. I didn't think Hogwarts prep schools covered that kind of history," she replied.  
  
Ron said, "This is Harry. He grew up in America, their school's teach history differently."  
  
Draco looked uncomfortable but decided not to express his qualms.  
  
Harry looked at Hermione and told her that none of them had seen a toad and that if any of them saw one they would hang on to it. "Whose toad is it?"  
  
"It belongs to a boy named Neville Longbottom," Hermione told him.  
  
"Huh, that must have been him on the platform," Harry said almost to himself. With their assurances that they would keep an eye out for the toad, Hermione left.  
  
They were talking when the door to the compartment opened. In the doorway stood a blonde girl flanked by to boys who were kind of thick set and mean looking.  
  
"Draco, there you are. I've been looking for you," the blonde girl shrieked.  
  
"Pansy, I asked you to leave me alone," Draco told her, exasperated.  
  
"Did you see that stupid mudblood looking for the toad?" Pansy said with a snotty sneer.  
  
Upon hearing the word Mudblood Ron lost it and Harry got mad. He might not have known what the word meant, but he knew it wasn't anything good. Draco saw Harry and Ron's reactions and didn't want to lose the potential friendships, plus he didn't like Pansy anyway, so he decided to get rid of her before Ron lost what little control he had.  
  
"Pansy get out of here, now! And take your goons, Crabbe and Goyle, with you!"  
  
"But Drakie!"  
  
"I've told you not to call me that! Just leave!"  
  
This seemed to offend Pansy so she left taking her goons with her.  
  
Once Pansy left Draco turned to Harry and Ron and said, "See why I ditched her, Crabbe and Goyle? I'd rather have friends like you than be friends with a bitch like her."  
  
"You're not kidding," Ron said chuckling.  
  
Draco saw Hedwig's cage. "Is that your owl? She's beautiful."  
  
"Yeah. That's Hedwig. Do either of you have a pet?" Harry asked.  
  
Draco pointed to the other cage amongst the luggage, "That's my eagle owl, H?phestus."  
  
Ron reached into his coat, "All I have is this stupid rat. It was my brother's pet before I got it," he said pulling a limp rat, which was missing a front toe on one of its front paws, out of his coat pocket.  
  
There was something off about the rat. Harry could feel it. Something about it made his skin crawl and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.  
  
"This is Scabbers. Not much is he," Ron said. "Hey want to try out this spell my brothers sold me?"  
  
Ron pulled out his wand and tapped Scabbers. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this lazy fat rat yellow." Nothing happened.  
  
"Um Ron. what was supposed to happen?" Harry asked.  
  
"Scabbers was supposed to turn yellow."  
  
"Oh, is that all, well let me try something," Harry said. He put his hand over Scabbers and his palm began to glow. When the glow faded Scabbers was a bright yellow.  
  
"Where'd you learn to do that, Harry?" Draco asked.  
  
"It's something my guardians taught me," Harry explained before changing Scabbers back to his normal shade.  
  
Harry pulled out his backpack and began fishing around in it. He dug deeper and deeper, eventually sticking his head into the bag looking for something.  
  
"What are you looking for, Harry?" Ron asked, puzzled.  
  
"I've got some snacks in here somewhere." Harry said digging deeper into his backpack.  
  
Just then a knock sounded and a witch poked her head into the compartment. "Anything off the cart dears?" she asked pointing to the cart she was pushing.  
  
Ron looked sullen and said, " My mum packed me some sandwiches." Harry saw that Ron might not have spending money so he thought he'd get snacks for them all.  
  
"I'll have a little of everything please," Harry said pulling out the pouch with some of his money in it.  
  
They were sorting through the small pile of goodies left behind by the witch. Ron pulled out a package and opened it. Out hopped what looked like a frog made of chocolate. Ron grabbed it and took a bite. This caused Harry to wince. Draco noticed Harry's reaction and reassured him. "It's just a spell that makes it move. It's not a real frog or anything." When Ron finished eating the Chocolate Frog he looked into the package and pulled out a card.  
  
"Aww. It's just a Dumbledore. I've already got three of these. "Ron said handing the card to Harry.  
  
Harry took a good look at the card. The picture of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore on it waved and smiled. On the back of the card it read:  
  
{"Albus Dumbledore Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts Considered be many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of Grindlewald in 1945, for the discovery of the 12 uses of dragon's blood and his work in alchemy with his partner Nicholas Flamel, the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten pins bowling."}  
  
When Harry turned the card back over to see the front Dumbledore was missing from the picture. Harry asked Ron about this and Ron's reply was, "Well you can't expect him to hang around on the front of a card all of the time, can you?"  
  
This led to a discussion on how they spent their summers. Draco and Ron's summers were pretty normal, for them. Harry's response to the questions about his summer was quite different. "I met the most interesting group of kids in the town near the airbase where we were staying. They're known as 'The Them'."  
  
"'The Them'?" Draco asked.  
  
Ron said, "Do you think they're Muggles?"  
  
"I'm not sure whether they're magical or not. Their leader, Adam Young, was.it was like.like we knew each other somehow. Plus he was taking lessons in 'Witchcraft' from a really nice lady with the weirdest name I've ever heard. Anathema Device-Pulsifer. And he had the strangest Dog. The month or so I spent in England was much more interesting than usual."  
  
Ron dug through the candy pile a little more and pulled out a bag marked "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans". He pulled out a green one, bit into it, and went, "Blech! A spinach one!"  
  
Harry was perplexed, "What?"  
  
Ron explained, "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor."  
  
"They look like Jelly Bellies, except Jelly Bellies are only sweet flavors. You know, green apple, caramel.etc"  
  
A while later the compartment door opened and in walked Hermione. She was still looking fro the toad but had decided to take a break. "Are you really Harry Potter? I've read about you."  
  
"Yeah. How'd you recognize me?" Harry asked Hermione.  
  
"I saw your scar. Did You-Know-Who really cause that?"  
  
"Who? Oh, you mean Voldemort," Harry said. The others flinched at the name looking incredulous that Harry could say it.  
  
"How can you say his name Harry?" Draco asked.  
  
"Yeah. Aren't you scared?" Ron asked.  
  
"Why would I be afraid of a name? Fear of the name increases fear of the thing. And fear is power. I won't give Moldy Voldie any power over me." Harry said confidently.  
  
"You do know about Voldemort, don't you? Whet he did" Hermione asked wonderingly.  
  
"Yes. I know about Voldie, what he did, and what he tried to do to me. My guardians have told me all my life. I'm grateful that they did. I needed to know. It's a part of my past and therefore a part of me."**  
  
"Draco turned to Harry and said, "So Harry. Given anymore thought as to what House you are hoping to be in?"  
  
"I'm still not sure, my father was in Gryffindor." Harry said. "I've read about the Houses and I think I'd fit well either there or in Slytherin."  
  
"Slytherin!?! How could you consider Slytherin? Everyone knows that only Dark wizards come out of Slytherin!" Ron shouted, appalled that Harry could even think of being in any House other than Gryffindor.  
  
"Sly, cunning, and ambitious does not mean evil. Besides, you think Gryffindor hasn't produced its share of evil wizards and witches? (A/N: you all know who I mean. That rat Peter Pettigrew!) Or that when it was crunch time there haven't been Slytherin witches and wizards fighting on the side of good?" Harry told Ron.  
  
"But.but!"  
  
"What most witches and wizards consider Dark magic isn't necessarily evil. Intent is what matters in magic. It is intent that governs whether a spell is evil or not, most of the time.**"  
  
This stuns Ron and Draco both, but for different reasons.  
  
"Besides, even if we do end up in different Houses that doesn't mean we can't still be friends? Don't let yourself fall prey to the same prejudices that you accuse Slytherins of, Ron."** Harry then said, "Still, I think Gryffindor would be the best fit, considering."  
  
Hermione looked perplexed by this last statement, "Considering?"  
  
"Considering the way my Guardians have raised me." Harry told her somewhat smugly.  
  
"You've mentioned these 'Guardians' of yours before. Who are they?" Draco asked, puzzled.  
  
"They are the people who took me from Godric's Hollow the night Voldemort destroyed it. They have raised me ever since. They saw to it that I had a happy and relatively normal childhood. They also saw to it that I was prepared," Harry told him.  
  
"Prepared? For what?" Ron asked having gotten over the snit he was in from the way Harry spoke to him earlier.  
  
"You know, I'm not quite sure. Anything, would be my guess," Harry said.  
  
They read until about ten minutes before they arrived. Hermione, who had left earlier to continue searching for the toad, poked her head into the compartment and said, "Hadn't you better change into your school robes? We're almost there."  
  
The boys realized she was right and dug through their trunks to pull out their school robes.  
  
As they finished changing Ron and Draco noticed Harry check something at his wrists, tug his sleeves down, and stick what looked like a knife into the top of one his boots. He then pulled the pants leg down over the top of the boot so that the "knife" couldn't be seen.  
  
"Hey Harry? What was that about?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah, what's that at your wrists?" Draco added.  
  
"Oh, you mean these?" Harry said and pulled back the sleeves of his robes exposing the knives in the quick draw sheathes strapped to his wrists.  
  
"Or do you mean this?" Harry said bending down to pull a "knife" out of his boot. He handed it to Draco to inspect.  
  
"This is an Atheme!"  
  
"Yeah. It was a Birthday present from Maria," Harry said taking the Atheme back from Draco and placing it in his hidden boot sheath.  
  
"Why do you have those?"  
  
"I like to be prepared."  
  
"Prepared for what!?!?"  
  
"Oh, anything. I was a boy scout."  
  
The train pulled to a stop and they all stepped out onto a tiny dark platform. They had been told to leave their trunks and animals on the train, so they did. Harry kept his backpack and wand, like Ron and Draco.  
  
As the students stood there shivering in the cold night air a light came bobbing up the path. A familiar voice called out, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" It was Hagrid. He led them down a path to a dock on a dark lake. Along side the dock was a series of small boats.  
  
"No more then four to a boat!"  
  
Harry, Ron, Draco, and Hermione got into one boat. Once all of the students were in the boats they began to move. It was a long ride. As the shore came into view something attacked the boat the four of them were in. Harry slashed at it with the knives from his wrist sheathes and it backed off and disappeared.  
  
The boats came to a stop in a cavern. Once they got out, Harry began digging through is backpack for something to clean his knives with.  
  
"Oy there, this your toad?" Hagrid called having found the toad when he made one last check of the boats. "Ever'one here? Good." Hagrid then led them up a stone path, and then up a large flight of stairs and stopped in front of a huge set of double doors. He knocked three times.  
  
A/N: Draco will not be goodygoody!Draco but he won't be Evilbastard!Draco either. *After all, Harry has known his name to be Harry Post for most of his life.  
  
**Harry is after all, an American Military brat. That's bound to change his personality at least a little.  
  
I would not object to a Marauder MST of this story. In fact, I think it would be funny, but I don't want to write one right now. 


	6. Chapter Six The Sorting

Chapter 6 The Sorting  
  
A Properly Reared Wizard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, or any of the Harry potter characters, and am making no money from this story. Some portions of the text may have been taken directly from HP and the sorcerer's stone. They are marked with {'s. Anything you recognize I do not own and am making no money off of. Archiving: Want, ask, take, have.  
  
Hagrid knocked three times. The double doors swung slowly open as if by themselves Hagrid then led the anxious first year students into a large room with another set of double doors. He then left to inform Professor McGonagall that they were there and waiting.  
  
As Hagrid left the students began whispering among themselves. Ron turned to Harry and Draco. "How do you reckon they'll decide which House we're in? Fred and George said we have to wrestle a troll."  
  
"Ron, just remember that these are the same brothers who sold you that defective spell to turn Scabbers yellow," Harry pointed out. He then went back to searching in his backpack as he had been doing when Ron spoke.  
  
Just then four ghosts came floating through the wall. They were deep in conversation and didn't notice the students in the room. They seemed to be arguing about something.  
  
"Really Baron. I think we should give him another chance," the fat one told the one that seemed to be covered in silver stains.  
  
"We've already given Peeves too many chances. Something needs to be don e about him," replied the one covered with silver stains.  
  
At that moment the fat one noticed the students standing there nervously.  
  
"Oh my. You must be the first years," he said turning to the stained ghost. "Is the Sorting today?"  
  
The other ghost did not respond to the question. Instead he/it seemed to notice Ron, Draco, and Harry. Harry especially, as at that moment Harry pulled a cloth from his backpack with an "Aha!" and began wiping his knives.  
  
"What are you doing boy?" the ghost demanded. (A/N: the Bloody Baron is willing to speak to Harry at this point because while he hasn't yet been Sorted, it doesn't mean he won't end up in Slytherin)  
  
Harry looked up at the ghost and said, "Just cleaning my knives before I put them away Sir*."  
  
This seemed to satisfy the ghost as he nodded almost approvingly and floated off through the walls. The other ghosts followed the Baron out of the room.  
  
Harry had finished cleaning his knives and was putting them away when the doors opened and McGonagall walked in. She looked around and spotted Harry. Then she spotted his knives which weren't quite back in their sheathes yet. "Mr. Potter! I'll have to take those. What are you doing with knives anyway?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," Harry said handing the knives to her without a fuss. "I was taught to always be prepared."  
  
McGonagall seemed slightly miffed by this answer but turned and led the students through the set of double doors.  
  
Draco and Ron turned to Harry as if asking how he could just give her the knives. "You don't really think those were my only knives do you? They weren't even my best ones. This is supposed to be a safe place after all."  
  
This seemed to stun the two of them. Harry turned away and followed the rest of the students through the double doors behind McGonagall. As he emerged on the other side of the doorway, his eyes adjusted to the light of what had to be hundreds of candles, if not more. And the noise! It was like being hit with a solid wave of sound. Then he noticed the ceiling. It was a starry scene, like the sky outside. Sitting at four tables were the rest of the students. Each table was decorated differently, and the students who sat at the four tables turned to look as the first years entered the Great Hall.  
  
In the center of the room sat a stool with an odd looking ratty old hat. A hush fell over the all and suddenly a rip on the hat's brim opened and the hat began to sing:  
  
{"Oh you may not think I'm pretty But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter Hat than Me. You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can top them all. There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor Where dwell the brave of heart They're daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart. You might belong in Hufflepuff Where they are just and loyal Those patient Hufflepuff are true And unafraid of toil. Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw If you've a ready mind Where those of whit and learning Will always find they're kind. Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make you're real friends. Those cunning folk use any means To achieve they're ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a thinking Cap!"}  
  
McGonagall stepped forward holding a scroll. "When I call your name please come forward and try on the Sorting Hat. It will place you in the correct house: Abbott, Hannah!"  
  
A pink faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the crowd of first years and over to the Hat. She placed the Hat on her head, where it promptly fell down over her face, and sat heavily down on the stool. After a few seconds the "tear" in the brim of the Hat opened and it shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!" She removed the Hat and stumbled over to the cheering Hufflepuff table where the ghost of the Fat Friar waved cheerfully at her.  
  
The next student to be Sorted was "Bones, Susan!"  
  
She too went to "HUFFLEPUFF!" and sat down next to Hannah Abbott.  
  
"Boot, Terry!" went into "Ravenclaw". This time it was the Ravenclaw table that broke into cheers.  
  
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" also went into Ravenclaw.  
  
"Brown, Lavender" was the first to be Sorted into Gryffindor. She walked over to the table filled with cheering students and sat down.  
  
"Bullstrode, Millicent" was Sorted into Slytherin. For some reason she and most of the other Slytherins made Harry uneasy.  
  
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin" became a Hufflepuff. Harry noticed that sometimes the Hat took a while to decide and shout out its answer.  
  
"Finnigan, Seamus" sat on the stool for nearly a minute before the Hat Sorted him into Gryffindor. When Hermione's name was called she eagerly rushed over to the stool and jammed the Hat on. Ron groaned a bit when the Hat placed her into Gryffindor.  
  
Neville Longbottom, the one whose toad kept getting away from him, tripped over the stool but was Sorted into Gryffindor. The students laughed when he forgot to take off the Hat before going to the Gryffindor table.  
  
Draco strutted to the stool when his name was called. He put the Hat on. It just sat there for about thirty seconds. Harry noticed that Draco's face looked almost like he was arguing with the Hat, and then there was a flash of fear before the Hat made its decision. It put him into Slytherin. Harry looked around to see if anyone else had noticed what he had. Up at the teacher's table one of the Professors had also seen what Harry had. He had long black hair, a large nose and pale skin. He looked worried until the Hat made its announcement. Upon hearing it call out "Slytherin!" he seemed to relax a bit.** This surprised Harry, so he filed it away to think about later.  
  
Harry looked around and saw that more than half of the first years had already been sorted. There weren't many left.  
  
"Moon"."Nott".then that Pansy girl, "Parkinson".next was a pair of twin girls, "Parvati" and "Padma" who were Sorted into different Houses.  
  
Finally it was Harry's turn.  
  
"Potter, Harry." It took Harry a second to remember that was him. As he stepped forward the students began to whisper.  
  
"Did she say Harry Potter?"  
  
"Is that him?"  
  
"I see the scar!"  
  
Harry sat down and put the Hat on. "Hmmm... let's see, where to put you? It's all here in your head. You could do well in Gryffindor or in Slytherin." The Hat seemed to hesitate as if it was looking deeper into Harry's mind.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing in there?" Harry asked the Hat, a little miffed that it was rummaging through his mind like that.***  
  
"Let's see. Ah! Here we go. Oh yes, you could fit in Slytherin, but I see here that there are things you need to learn and do. Those would be better accomplished in Gryffindor. So.it better be, GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Harry removed the Hat, got up and walked over to the wildly cheering Gryffindor table. The Weasley twins stood up yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" one of the ghosts put his hand on Harry's arm. It felt like he had plunged it into a bucket of ice water.  
  
From his new seat Harry could see the Staff table more clearly. He saw Professor Rangell wearing a purple turban. Something about him still made Harry uneasy. In the middle of the table sat Headmaster Dumbledore, his silver hair shone as brightly as the ghosts.  
  
There were only four people left to be Sorted. "Thomas, Dean!" became a Gryffindor. "Turpin, Lisa!" went into Ravenclaw. Next was Ron who looked queasy. Seconds after he put it on the Hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!" His brothers cheered particularly loudly at this. The last student, "Zabini, Blaise!" was Sorted into Slytherin.  
  
Once all of the students were seated and relatively quite, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. Before we start the Feast, there are some Start of Term notices I'd like to make. First year students should note that the Forest on the grounds is forbidden. A few of our older students would do well to remember this as well." This seemed to be directed at the Weasley twins.  
  
"I have been asked to remind you that no magic is to be used in the corridors classes by Mr. Filch, the caretaker."  
  
"Quidditch trials will be held during the second week, so anyone interested in trying out for their House team should speak to Madame Hooch."  
  
"And finally, the right hand corridor on the third floor is off limits to anyone who does not wish to die a painful death."  
  
Harry was one of the few who didn't laugh at this. He took warnings of this kind seriously.  
  
"Now! Oddment! Nitwit! Blubber! Tweak!" As Dumbledore said this food appeared on the tables. Harry took a little of everything, it had been a long day. Ron encouraged Harry to try "Pumpkin Juice". It tasted all right but there was something off about it. Harry noticed that one of the Professors wasn't having any of the juice either. It was the one with black hair and a big nose.  
  
"This all looks wonderful," the ghost who was hovering above the Gryffindor table said.  
  
"You can't taste it can you?" Harry asked the Ghost.  
  
"No. Haven't been able to for nearly 400 years," the ghost seemed sad. "I haven't introduced myself. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington."  
  
"I know you!" Ron crowed. "You're Nearly Headless Nick!"  
  
The ghost seemed affronted by this. Harry knew he was going to regret asking, but couldn't help himself.  
  
" 'Nearly Headless'.? How can you be 'Nearly headless'?"  
  
In answer, Sir Nicholas grabbed the top of his head, and pulled. His head came almost all of the way off of his neck. "Like this."  
  
"So new Gryffindors, I trust you will help win the House cup this year. The Slytherins have won it for the last six years. Gryffindor hasn't ever gone so long with out winning. The Bloody Baron- that's the Slytherin ghost- has been unbearable lately," Nick explained.  
  
Once everyone was done, the dishes cleared away and desert appeared on the table. Talk turned to their families.  
  
"I'm half- and -half. Me mum's a witch, but me da's a Muggle. She didn't tell him until after the wedding. Bit of a shock that was, " Seamus said.  
  
"What about you Neville?" Ron asked.  
  
"My Gran raised me. She's a witch. The family wasn't sure that I'd have enough magic to go to Hogwarts. My uncle was always trying to get my magic to show itself. One time he pushed me into the lake. The summer I was eight, he was dangling me out a window when my aunt called him and he dropped me."  
  
Harry was horrified. Neville must have seen his expression because he said, "It's alright. I bounced. All the way down the lane in fact. Gran was crying she was so happy."  
  
On the other side of Harry Percy and Hermione were talking about lessons. Hermione was excited by what she'd read about Transfiguration.  
  
Harry was feeling relaxed when he looked up at the Staff table again. Hagrid was seated at one end. Dumbledore was in the middle. As his eyes passed over Professor Rangell a stabbing pain shot through his scar. Next to Rangell was another Professor who had black hair. It was the Professor he had noticed watching Draco's Sorting closely.  
  
"Who's that?" he asked George.  
  
"That's Professor Snape. He's the Potions Master. He hates Gryffindors," George told him. "He's also the Head of the Slytherin House."  
  
The desert dishes cleared a way and Dumbledore stood up. "It's time for the school song. Pick your favorite tune and follow along." He waved his wad and words appeared in midair. The students began to sing. They finished at different times. The Weasley twins were the last ones to finish, as the tune they chose was a funeral dirge.  
  
There was a twinkle in Dumbledore eyes as he told the prefects that it was time to lead the first years up to the dorms. Percy led the Gryffindors down hallways, up moving staircases and finally stopped in front of a painting of a fat woman in a pink dress.  
  
"This is the Fat Lady. She guards the entrance to the Gryffindor tower. In order to get her to open the door you must tell her the correct password."  
  
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked.  
  
"Caput Draconis," Percy told her. The painting swung open to reveal a welcoming room decorated in red and gold. At one end was a fireplace with a roaring fire. In the middle of the room were lush couches. Percy led them to a staircase at the other end of the room. He directed the girls up to the first landing on the right. He pointed the boys to the left landing. On the door was a sign "First Year Boys".  
  
Inside the room were five four-poster beds decorated in red and gold. At the foot of each bed was a trunk Harry moved his things to one of the middle beds. It was neither in front of the door or the window.  
  
He opened his trunk and began unpacking his backpack. He unpacked and unpacked and unpacked some more.  
  
The other boys looked at him questioningly.  
  
"It's a Mary Poppins spell," Harry explained. Seamus and Dean nodded in understanding. Harry closed and sealed his trunk, then got into bed in anticipation of his first classes the next day.  
  
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed.  
  
*: Being the well brought up military brat that he is, Harry is polite until given a god reason to be otherwise.  
  
**: Draco has changed, but his father doesn't know it.  
  
***: Harry was raised by telepaths afterall. 


	7. The first week

Chapter 7 The First Week  
  
A Properly Reared Wizard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, or any of the Harry potter characters, and am making no money from this story. Some portions of the text may have been taken directly from HP and the sorcerer's stone. They are marked with {'s. Anything you recognize I do not own and am making no money off of. Archiving: Want, ask, take, have.  
  
Early the next morning Harry awoke. He couldn't wait to see what would happen that day. He dressed and went to wake Ron. It took him six tries to get Ron woken up enough to get dressed. He then dragged Ron down to the Great Hall to breakfast. Ron was nearly asleep in his plate. Harry had milk with his breakfast instead of Pumpkin juice. He was startled when all of a sudden owls flew into the Great Hall. Each one seemed to be carrying either a letter or a package.  
  
As they were finishing breakfast Percy came around the table passing out their class schedules. The first class they had that day was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Harry dragged Ron out of the Great Hall to get their stuff and to look for their class. He didn't want to be late on the first day. They were looking for the Transfiguration classroom when they ran into a ghost/poltergeist that they had overheard other students call Peeves. He/it blocked their passage and then misdirected them making them late when they finally made it to the classroom.  
  
They walked into the classroom and didn't see Professor McGonagall. There was however a cat sitting on the desk at the front of the room.  
  
"At least we got here before Professor McGonagall," Ron said smugly as they found seats.  
  
As Ron said this Harry shook his head sadly and took his seat. He turned to the cat sitting on the desk and said, "I'm sorry we're late. Peeves gave us a hard time." Ron and most of the class looked at Harry in confusion.  
  
At that moment the cat leapt from the desk and transformed into Professor McGonagall in mid flight. This startled Ron into shocked silence.  
  
As they were leaving once class was over Ron asked Harry how he knew about the cat not being a cat.  
  
Harry thought for a moment, ^The energy patterns didn't feel right for a housecat, but how can I explain it so that he'll understand?^ "Ron, I just felt that it wasn't an ordinary housecat."  
  
Just then Hermione rushed up excited about what they had done in class. They had been turning matchsticks into needles, or trying to anyway. Harry wasn't very successful in Transfiguration at first. He watched Hermione as she transfigured the match. More importantly, he watched how the energy flows were being directed. Hermione didn't seem to be aware of how the energy flows were behaving. She seemed to be directing them unconsciously. As he continued to watch the way the energy moved and changed he had an idea. He pointed his wand at the matchstick and said the right phrase to trigger the transfiguration, but at the same time he wrapped his mind around and through the energy and manipulated it into doing what he wanted. The result: the matchstick was now a needle! Ron's match ended up being slightly pointed on one end, square through the middle with the match head still intact. It was slightly gray in color. Neville's was still very much a match.  
  
The next class that they had was Charms. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked in and found seats near the front. Draco was sitting in the middle of a group of Slytherins. Ron looked indignant at this. Harry, however, simply looked thoughtful. Once all of the students were settled Professor Flitwick, a tiny floating wizard, began the lecture for the day. They were learning the levitation charm " Wingardium Leviosa"  
  
Professor Flitwick commented, " I once knew a wizard who accidentally replaced the "s" with an "f" and ended up with a buffalo on his chest. So be careful how you pronounce the words."  
  
As in Transfiguration, Hermione got it right away and was able to get her feather to float. Ron, on the other hand, somehow managed to ignite his. The Slytherins snickered at this. Once Harry resisted the temptation to float the feather the way he was used to making things float he got the spell right. He made sure that his feather only just barely left the desk.  
  
Draco was the next one to get it.  
  
Ron eventually got it after Hermione corrected his pronunciation. "Win-gar- dium Levi-osa, Ron."  
  
Neville on the other hand, couldn't get his feather to move at all and panicked. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted frantically. The spell worked, just not as he intended. It sent Professor Flitwick flying across the room to land on top of a cabinet. Harry had been watching as Neville did this and realized that Neville was trying too hard. He walked over and sat down next to Neville as the others were watching the Professor float himself down.  
  
"You're trying too hard, Neville. Just breathe, relax, and concentrate on the magic doing what you want it to do," Harry explained to him.  
  
Neville calmed down and tried again. This time the feather rose, as Neville wanted it to.  
  
"I did it! I did it!" Neville crowed. As all of the students gathered around him congratulated him he lost his concentration and the feather dropped. No one noticed but Harry and Professor Flitwick. Harry quietly levitated the feather from the floor back to the desk the way that Sara had taught him all those years ago. Flitwick saw this and was startled to see that Harry's wand was still on the desk out of Harry's hands.  
  
The class ended and the students went to lunch. While the students were eating Professor Flitwick went to speak with the Headmaster about Harry's magic. "Headmaster I must speak to you about Harry Potter."  
  
"Is something wrong?" the Headmaster asked.  
  
"Well not wrong, exactly. I have to ask. Why is he Here Headmaster?" Professor Flitwick asked.  
  
"What do you mean 'Why is he here'? Did something happen during class?"  
  
"He has obviously been trained in another tradition of magic. Why put our own system of magic at risk by introducing someone who has been trained in another?" Professor Flitwick demanded of the Headmaster.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes stopped twinkling for a moment as his expression became serious. "Because his parents were very powerful with a wide range of abilities. He needs to know how to handle his abilities regardless of any other training he may have received."  
  
"Just what type of magic has he been trained in, anyway?" Flitwick asked Dumbledore, perplexed. He had specialized in charms and wand use and so had previously had no need to look outside his chosen form of magic at other systems.  
  
"That doesn't matter. Just teach Harry wand use," Dumbledore told Flitwick.  
  
"How can you be so sure that this won't be a problem? Will you at least instruct Harry not to use any type of magic he has not learned from us on school grounds?" Flitwick demanded.  
  
To this Dumbledore replied, "I know his Guardians. I know people who are trained in that style of magic. I will not put undue restrictions on any child's abilities in any area, regardless of where they might have acquired those abilities. Would you have me keep a good beater from playing Quidditch just because he learned to handle a bat playing Cricket?" the Headmaster asked.  
  
"Of courser not!" Flitwick replied indignantly. "But this is magic! Not just some game!"  
  
"Quidditch is not just a game!" with that Dumbledore sent Flitwick off.  
  
The next class that day was Double Potions with the Slytherins. Draco sat at the front of the room while Harry sat with Ron one desk behind him. Professor Snape began the class by taking roll.  
  
When he got to Harry's name he paused. "Well, if it isn't Harry Potter, our resident celebrity."  
  
The blatant hostility in this statement startled Harry for a moment. "Ummm. yes sir, I guess so."  
  
The Slytherins snickered at his. Draco because snickered because he knew what his godfather, Professor Snape, didn't. Harry hadn't even known that his name was Harry Potter until that summer.  
  
Snape's eyes were black as coal, much like Hagrid's. But unlike Hagrid's eyes, Snape's eyes held no warmth. They were like two pieces of obsidian colored ice.  
  
{"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. Like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand waving here many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will under stand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of the liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't' as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."}  
  
Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to begin learning and proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. Harry, Ron, and Draco exchanged looks with raised eyebrows.  
  
Snape turned to Harry with a glint in his eyes. "Potter! What would be the result if I combined powdered root of asphodel with an infusion of wormwood?"  
  
"I'm not sure sir. But whatever it was would not be pleasant as both asphodel and wormwood are substances that are toxic to humans."  
  
Snape sneered at this answer.  
  
"Clearly fame isn't everything," Snape said ignoring Hermione who had her hand raised.  
  
"Let's try again. Where would you look if I told you to get me a bezoar?"  
  
Hermione looked like she was going to explode if she didn't get to answer.  
  
"In a goat's stomach, sir. It can be used to counter or treat quite a few poisons, sir, " Harry replied.  
  
"Hmmph!" Snape snorted. "That is not the only place that one can be found! Clearly you did not deem it necessary to open a book over the summer."  
  
At this point Hermione looked over at Harry with a mixture of respect, for answering the question at all, and envy because he was called on. Ron, with a mixture of befuddlement and rising resentment at Snape's perceived attacks on Harry, snorted.  
  
This caught Snape's attention. "Is there some problem Mr. Weasley? Do you perhaps need to see Madame Pomfrey?"  
  
This caused the Slytherins to snicker and giggle, even Draco.  
  
{"What's the difference, Potter, between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"  
  
At this Hermione stood up, her hand reaching toward the dungeon ceiling.}  
  
Harry said quietly, "I think Hermione knows. Why don't you ask her, sir?"  
  
{A few people laughed. Snape however was not pleased.  
  
"Sit down!" he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is called the Draught of Living Death} By the way, a Bezoar can be found in the stomach of most ruminants. {As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you copying that down?"  
  
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment.} Oh by the way Potter, just because you know a few of the answers does not mean that you can be cheeky to a teacher. A point from the House of Gryffindor."  
  
Snape paired them off to begin working on a basic potion for treating boils. Harry and Ron were working at the table in front of Neville and Seamus. Harry was carefully weighing the nettles he was about to add to his cauldron when Seamus shouted, "No Neville! Don't add those yet!"  
  
Harry turned around, pushing Ron out of splash range, and saw the potion and cauldron explode. ^Oh man! This is gonna be unpleasant! ^ Harry thought to himself as the botched potion came splashing down on him and those around him. He could have shielded himself from being splashed with the potion but his Guardians had told him to keep a low profile, magic wise.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Why didn't you warn Mr. Longbottom not to add the nettles yet? Ten points from Gryffindor!" Snape snapped at Harry before passing him something to counter the botched potion he had been splashed with.  
  
The class continued after that with Snape finding fault with everything the Gryffindors did. The Slytherins, however, could do no wrong. He praised Draco for slicing his slugs evenly.  
  
Once the class was over the students cleaned their equipment and left the room. On his way out of the classroom Harry stopped to speak with Professor Snape.  
  
"Professor Snape, dir? Is there anywhere here that I can store my potions things? I don't feel comfortable hauling them from my dorm down to the classroom for each class. " Harry explained to Snape.  
  
Snape blinked at this request, almost as if no one had asked this before. He pointed to one of the cabinets where the common ingredients were stored. "You can store your things in that cabinet if you don't mind not being sure that you know who has access to them."  
  
Harry placed his things o one of the shelves in the cabinet and just kind of smiled at what the Professor said. He gathered the rest of his things and left the room.  
  
Snape blinked at this response, or lack there of, and looked over at the cabinet where he thought he had seen Harry place his supplies. As he looked at the cabinet, he found that he was unable to casually focus on the area where Harry put his potions supplies.  
  
They were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, reading, after a dinner, which made Harry homesick for the types of things Maria, Reneé and Sara, made. Hermione was reading "Hogwarts A History". It startled Harry to see that the version that she was reading seemed to be thinner than the copy that he had. He went back to what he was doing. "I sure hate doing long division by hand. It's tedious and takes too much time."  
  
This comment caught Hermione's attention. "I agree Harry, but what does that have to do with our classes?" she asked Harry coming over to see exactly what it was that he was doing.  
  
He had spread out before him a basic algebra lesson.  
  
"Why are you doing algebra at Hogwarts Harry?" she asked. "That's not on the list of classes is it?" she said starting to panic.  
  
"No Hermione, its not," Harry reassured her. "But my Guardians want me to be able to get an American High School diploma. Plus it just might come in handy in potions."  
  
Hearing the word "Potions", Ron, who was dozing off over a full belly and a well-thumbed copy of "Quidditch Through the Ages" opened one eye and said, "What?"  
  
Hermione asked, "How can that be helpful in Potions?"  
  
"Well," said Harry. "Suppose you need a lot more, or less, of a potion than usual, or one of your ingredients is stronger or weaker than usual. You'll need to know how to balance your ingredients or even the time needed to make the potion. Algebra is one way to help figure all that out with out trial and error." ^And Explosions.^ Harry thought quietly.  
  
Ron Scoffed, "Isn't that part of taking the class?"  
  
Harry, his paranoia surfacing for the moment, said, "I'd rather be able to figure it out for myself than have to depend on somebody else's work."  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful, "That makes sense to me Harry."  
  
Ron snorted, "Too much work. Won't affect my grade anyway," and went back to his book.  
  
Hermione quietly said to Harry, "Ca you help me keep up with my math?"  
  
Harry said, "Sure. We can work on it together a couple of times a week. I wonder what else Hogwarts doesn't teach?"  
  
At this Hermione kicked Ron awake, "Ron!"  
  
Ron snorted, "Huh? Wha?! I'm up mum!"  
  
"What courses did your older brothers have here at Hogwarts?"  
  
"Well, let's see. There was Transfiguration, Potions, Divination, Charms, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Muggle Studies, and Percy took something called Arithmancy. Other than those, I'm not sure; I'll have to as my brothers. Why do you care?" Ron said rather belligerently.  
  
"Well, I didn't have time to finish "Hogwarts A History" and Professor Dumbledore was a bit vague about the course of study," Harry said.  
  
Hermione asked sharply, "Have you met Headmaster Dumbledore?"  
  
Harry replied, "Very briefly. He spent most of the time he was there talking to my Guardians."  
  
Ron, becoming intrigued, asked, "Where was 'there'?"  
  
Harry, trying to sound casual, said, "oh, there was a problem with my letter and he delivered it personally."  
  
Hermione and Ron tried to pry more details out of Harry, but he declared that he was tired and went up to bed, ending the discussion.  
  
The next morning Harry dragged Ron out of bed and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron did not want to wake up. The mail owls were delivering their letters and packages when to Harry's surprise one landed in front of him. It had a letter from Maria and Sara.  
  
In the letter Maria said that they had received an owl from Dumbledore about Harry's knives being confiscated. Maria reminded Harry that he was told to keep a low profile. They asked about how he liked his classes, teachers and fellow students.  
  
Harry quickly finished his breakfast and went up to the owlery to send a response.  
  
Maria and Sara were sitting at the breakfast table eating, when an owl with a letter from Harry came in through the window and landed on the table in front of them.  
  
That's Hedwig, Harry's owl. It looks like she's got a letter from him," Maria said taking the letter from Hedwig and giving her a piece of bacon.  
  
"Well. What's it say?"  
  
"It says:  
  
'Dear Maria and Sara.  
  
Classes are interesting, if not exactly what I expected. I'm making friends here, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and Hermione Granger. I have met some interesting people. Hagrid works as the groundskeeper. Two of my teachers are very interesting indeed. Professor Snape, who teaches Potions and seems not to like me for some reason; and Professor McGonagall who teaches Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall can turn herself into a cat. Professor Snape is the Head of the Slytherin House, which seems to be the rival of the House that I was Sorted into, Gryffindor. That might explain some of the animosity Professor Snape bears me and the other Gryffindor students, but not all of it. There are a few things that disturb me about some of the people that I have encountered here, however.  
  
I'll be writing to the others in the usual manner after the rest of my classes.  
  
Enjoy your sightseeing.  
  
Love; Harry'  
  
"Well Sara, that letter was interesting. Harry has remembered what we've taught him," Maria said to Sara with a smirk.  
  
"He remembered how to write a letter that might be intercepted," Sara said.  
  
"Though, I wonder. what is he feeling that is off." Maria wondered aloud.  
  
"Do you think that he's just homesick? Or is there something that really wrong that he's feeling?" Sara asked Maria.  
  
"Well. it is the first time that he's been alone outside of familiar territory. But. Dumbledore struck me as the type to use Hogwarts to make happen what he wants to happen. We'll just have to trust Harry's instincts. He'll let us know if there's anything really wrong going on."  
  
Harry sent Hedwig off with his letter and headed back down to the Great Hall. That day they had History of Magic, Herbology, and DADA. DADA was with the Slytherins. History of Magic was boring. Ron fell asleep almost immediately, but Hermione listened avidly while taking notes the whole time. Harry managed to stay awake for a while. Normally history fascinated him, but this teacher, a ghost who had taught at Hogwarts for a long time before he died, was one of the most boring teachers that Harry had ever had.  
  
Herbology was three times a week. The first lesson was very interesting. Some of the plants in the magical world were quite different than their similarly named non-magical counter parts.  
  
DADA was the last class of the day. Professor Rangell, the instructor, was quite nervous/ his classroom smelled strongly of garlic making Harry crave some of his Guardians cooking. The odor seemed to be coming from the large purple turban the Professor was wearing. He said that it was a gift from an African prince after he got rid of a particularly pesky zombie. When Seamus pressed the Professor for details on how he beat the Zombie, the Professor stammered, fidgeted, and changed the subject.  
  
That evening Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were hanging out in the library. This was the best place for them all to meet as Draco was in a different House.  
  
Ron challenged Harry to a game of wizard's chess. While this was not the first game of chess that Harry had played, Ron beat him rather quickly. Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a game set that Ron had never seen before.  
  
Draco looked at the game set, turned to Harry and asked, "Is that a GO set?" "Yeah, it was a birthday present last year. My guardians felt that it would be a good way for me to practice and improve my strategy techniques," Harry said setting out the stones. "Would you like to play a game?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Ron looked on in wonder as the game got started. T went on for quite a while. Madame Pince came by after a time to shoo them all out of the library. Draco conceded the game. "You were winning anyway, it was only a matter of time."  
  
They all headed back to their dormitories to get ready for bed. Once the others in his room were asleep, Harry opened the second compartment to his trunk and went down into the library there.  
  
He sat down at one of the tables and wrote a letter to his Guardians.  
  
It said:  
  
'Dear Guardians;  
  
There are some things I need to discuss that I couldn't put in the letter that I owled to Maria and Sara. The owl might have been intercepted. There are some people here that set of all my alarms and make my skin crawl. One of them is the DADA Professor. Professor Rangell makes my skin crawl for some reason. It's almost as if there's more to him than meets the eye. Something sinister, almost evil. Dark.  
  
Some of the Slytherin students are stuck up and racist. They could be easily lured toward darkness, as they have known little else. Draco might have been like them if I hadn't intervened when I did.  
  
There's something about Headmaster Dumbledore that makes me wary. Not sinister really, but there has to be a reason why Voldie is afraid of him. He can't be the wise kindly old grandfather that he appears to be. At least not solely.  
  
There's a Dark Forest on the Grounds that I'm Itching to explore. I'll be careful.  
  
Love: Harry'  
  
Harry folded the letter, sealed it, and placed it in the cubby for transportation.  
  
He then left his library, closed and locked his trunk, and went to bed.  
  
The next day they went to visit Hagrid in his hut on the grounds. Draco seemed to feel out of place and uncomfortable.  
  
Ron was worried and outraged by an article that he had read in that day's edition of the Daily Planet.  
  
{" GRINGOTTS BREAK IN LATEST  
  
Investigations continue into the break in at Gringotts on} August 10 {widely believed to be the work of Dark Wizards or Witches unknown.  
  
Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had been emptied earlier that same day.  
  
But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this Afternoon."}  
  
Harry couldn't help but wonder if maybe what the robbers were looking for was the package that Hagrid removed when they went to the bank that day. He knew there was something odd about that package wrapped in brown paper. However, he didn't say a thing about his suspicions to the others.  
  
That night after astronomy, Harry wrote another letter to his Guardians and sent it via the Library. He told them about the attempted robbery of Gringotts and his suspicions.  
  
After sealing his trunk, he got ready for bed, and went to sleep wondering what else could happen.  
  
A/N: My thanks to all who have reviewed this. I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I just couldn't seem to get started. Thanks are due to my mother for helping me start the chapter. This would probably have been posted last night, except, my sister was upset hat I would not let her use the computer or the phone line, so she turned off the computer as I was typing up this chapter and I lost two pages. 


	8. Flying lessons and conversations

Chapter 8 Flying lessons  
  
A Properly Reared Wizard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, or any of the Harry potter characters, and am making no money from this story. Some portions of the text may have been taken directly from HP and the sorcerer's stone. They are marked with {'s. Anything you recognize I do not own and am making no money off of. Archiving: Want, ask, take, have.  
  
A/N: In the last chapter "Daily Planet" should have been "Daily Prophet" sorry. I know that its' been a while since the last chapter went up, but my muse has been on vacation until lately. Sorry. I will try to have the next chapter up in less than two weeks. Does any one out there want to be my beta reader. If you do please just Email me: Laphynix@aol.com.  
One morning Professor Snape happened to be up early. He was walking past a doorway on the ground floor when he saw "Potter" doing something suspicious. * I'd better go see what Potter is up to.* Snape thought to himself.  
  
When he got closer to Harry he saw that Potter was doing tai chi, a fairly advanced form at that.  
  
Harry stopped moving suddenly.  
  
* Now what's Potter up to?* Snape wondered. Then he felt it. Harry was raising and manipulating the local energy flows.  
  
As Harry concentrated on what he was doing with the energy flows he began to float about three inches above the ground. Harry didn't seem to notice the fact that he was floating, however. After a time, Harry grounded and dismissed the energy he was manipulating and sank back to the ground.  
  
Snape turned and left thinking, * I'd better speak to the Headmaster about this. I'm not sure it's safe for Potter to be handling that much energy on school grounds.*  
  
Professor Snape made his way to the Headmaster's office. "Jujube!" Snape said shaking his head at the ridiculous password the Headmaster had chosen. The Gargoyle guarding the entrance jumped aside and Snape went up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Hello Severus. Is something wrong?" Dumbledore said without even seeing who it was that had entered his office.  
  
"I must speak with you about Potter," Professor Snape replied.  
  
"Why? Has he done something wrong? Lemon drop?" Dumbledore said offering Snape some candy.  
  
"Not wrong, precisely. I just observed him manipulating energy flows that he shouldn't even be aware of, much less be able to manipulate. Do you really think that it is wise to allow Potter to engage in that sort of energy manipulation on school grounds? Considering the magical forces in the castle and the Forest?" Snape asked Dumbledore.  
  
"What exactly was Harry doing?"  
  
"As far as I could tell, it was some advanced form of Tai chi. I didn't Tai chi was a form of magic."  
  
At this Dumbledore looked slightly indignant. "Tai chi is not a form of 'magic'."  
  
* It doesn't matter if it's "magic" or not, Potter was still manipulating raw energy without the aid of a wand or other focus.* Snape realized.  
  
"Yes Headmaster."  
  
"Besides Harry's been doing Tai chi almost since before he could walk. He knows what he's doing." With this the Headmaster shooed Snape out of his office.  
  
As Professor Snape was walking back to his dungeons he couldn't help but think * I'll have to keep a closer eye on Potter in the future. I wonder what else he's been learning "almost since before he could walk"?*  
Harry dragged Ron down to the common room after he changed into his robes and out of his Tai chi outfit. On the bulletin board was a notice that flying lessons would be starting soon.  
  
"Awww man! We've got another class with the Slytherins!" Ron complained.  
  
Harry however was looking forward to learning to fly on a broom.  
  
At breakfast Harry noticed that all anyone seemed to talk about was either Quidditch or flying. It was like they all grew up on brooms.  
  
The mail was delivered while they were all eating. Harry looked over to see that Neville had received a small package.  
  
"Hey Neville! Who's that from?" Harry asked Neville as he unwrapped the package to reveal a small glass orb about the size of a racquetball.  
  
"It's from my gran," Neville replied.  
  
"Isn't that a Remembrall?" Ron asked looking at the ball.  
  
"Yeah it is. They glow red when you've.forgotten.something." Neville said as the ball began to glow. Neville saw this and ran from the Great Hall. Embarrassed.  
  
Hermione noticed that once again Harry received no mail, but she recalled him turning up with things she had never seen before. Where had they come from if he never got any mail?  
  
"Hey Harry. I've noticed that you never seem to get mail but you have new things. Like that Latin book you were studying the last time we met to work on math. I haven't seen Hedwig deliver much."  
  
"My Guardians have a way of getting things to me since they can't use owl post," Harry said before returning to eating his breakfast, hoping that Hermione would accept this without further questions.  
  
The first year Gryffindors and Slytherins were standing out in a field with Madame Hooch waiting for their flying class to begin. They each had a broom at their feet.  
  
"Hold your hand over your broom and say 'Up!'," Madame Hooch told them.  
  
"Up!" chorused almost 2 dozen voices.  
  
Neville's broom did nothing. It just lay there. Hermione's broom just rolled over. She gave it an exasperated look.  
  
The broom by Ron's feet rolled over, rose a bit, and then settled back on to the ground.  
  
Draco and Harry's brooms immediately snapped up into their hands with a "Smack!".  
  
The response of Harry and Draco's brooms startled Madame Hooch.  
  
"Mount your brooms," Madame Hooch instructed them.  
  
After correcting a few of their grips Madame Hooch instructed them to kick off the ground, gently, and hover.  
  
They did as she asked, all of them except Neville. Harry happened to be looking over at him when he saw Neville panic and kick off hard.  
  
He flew up, wailing, high into the air, his broom clearly out of his control. He lost his grip on it suddenly and fell. He hit the ground with a "Crunch!".  
  
Ooh! That sounded nasty!" Harry told Ron and Draco. "Breaking a wrist is always painful!"  
  
This statement startled Draco. "How do you know it was his wrist?"  
  
"I recognize that sound," Harry explained to him.  
  
"Huh?" Draco seemed confused at this.  
  
Madame Hooch carried Neville inside, heading for the infirmary.  
  
"Stay put!" she told them all.  
  
The Slytherins (except for Draco) were gathered in a group and were whispering and snickering. One of them (Nott*) noticed something in the grass.  
  
"Hey, isn't that Longbottom's Remebrall?" Nott said picking the glass ball up off the ground.  
  
Nott kicked of the ground and began taunting the Gryffindors with Neville's Remembrall.  
  
This really pissed Harry off. While normally he had a good grip on his temper, he couldn't stand bullies.  
  
He grabbed his broom, mounted it, and kicked off the ground, hard.  
  
Nott saw Harry's broom leave the ground and was startled. He flew high; sure that Harry couldn't follow him. When he turned his head to taunt Harry he saw that Harry was right behind him.  
  
He threw the Remembrall as high and as far as he could.  
  
Harry saw him throw it. He tracked it through the air, and dove after it. The dive started when he was 50 feet in the air. Down he dove, past windows causing the students and teachers to gasp and stare.  
  
Harry caught the Remembrall and pulled up hard coming to a stop less than 6" above the grass.  
  
McGonagall came rushing out calling Harry's name, clearly expecting to have to transport another student to the infirmary. She snapped out, "Someone go get Madame Pomphrey! Now!"  
  
She stopped in her tracks when she saw Harry's broom, with Harry aboard it, floating gently above the ground.  
  
"Potter! What happened?"  
  
Harry responded, "I was just catching Neville's Remembrall, Ma'am."  
  
Hermione piped up, "After Nott threw it into the air!"  
  
Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, flabbergasted, "Is this your first time flying?"  
  
"Umm. yes ma'am, this is my first time on a broom."  
  
"And you caught the Remembrall?!" Professor McGonagall asked him.  
  
"After a 50 foot dive!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
~Hmm. this boy has real seeker potential!~ Professor McGonagall thought to herself.  
  
"Come with me, Potter!" she snapped and swept off into the castle.  
  
The Slytherins snickered as Harry followed her into the castle.  
  
Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a classroom. She opened the door, stuck her head in, and called for 'Wood'.  
  
~Who or what is 'Wood'? I wonder if Hogwarts is one of those British schools that believes in corporal punishment?~ Harry thought to himself.  
  
Out of the classroom walked a tall boy.  
  
"This is the one I was telling you about," Professor McGonagall said pointing to Harry after speaking quickly to wood for a moment.  
  
"We've got our Seeker, Wood," Professor McGonagall told Wood mystifying Harry.  
  
~Is this some sort of treasure hunter or researcher, or what? And what made her decide that?~  
  
"Follow me!" McGonagall said peremptorily as she charged back out onto the field. Harry and Wood followed obediently.  
  
Once they were out on the field McGonagall turned to Wood and said, "You get started explaining Quidditch to Harry while I go and get the equipment to give him his first lesson."  
  
{A/N: If you need an explanation of Quidditch read the original books or "Quidditch Through the Ages". I do not feel like typing an explanation.}  
  
About 10 minutes into the explanation Professor McGonagall came back out carrying a large wooden box. She handed the box to Wood, then handed him two brooms.  
  
Wood spent the next hour and a half seeing what Harry could do on a broom and showing him the ropes of Quidditch.  
  
Finally when it was getting too dark to see the golf balls Wood was using in place of the snitch they went in.  
  
That night at dinner Ron asked Harry what happened after McGonagall pulled him out of flying class.  
  
Harry explained about being chosen to be the new Gryffindor Seeker.  
  
He said, "I really don't understand Quidditch, but it seems like an exciting game."  
  
"Game?! Quidditch is not just a game!" Ron said unconsciously echoing the Headmaster. "It's a tradition!"  
  
"How can you be the new Seeker?" Hermione asked. "There's never been a first year on the Team, and first year's are not allowed their own brooms."  
  
"I don't know," Harry replied. "I guess Professor McGonagall pulled some strings."  
  
"When do you start training, Harry?" Ron asked with his mouth full.  
  
"Some time next week I start training with the rest of the team," Harry said before turning back to his dinner effectively ending that conversation.  
  
Later that evening Harry, Draco, and Ron were late leaving the Library. Their nightly game session had run late and Hermione had already left. She said that she would be waiting for Ron and Harry in the Common Room and would distract Professor McGonagall so they could walk Draco back to the Slytherin dorm. He'd been having problems with his classmates. They didn't like him hanging around with the Gryffindors, especially Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  
  
As they were walking down the hallway, Scabbers, who had been in Ron's pocket, hot away from Ron, again.  
  
"Where is that stupid rat going this time?!" Harry demanded of Ron. He really didn't like Scabbers; something about that rat just didn't feel right.  
  
They chased Scabbers up to the third floor. He ran into the right hand corridor when they saw Mrs. Norris and knew that Filch couldn't be far behind. Not wanting to be caught out of their dorms and where they weren't supposed to be, they ducked into an old classroom.  
  
When they got back to the Gryffindor Common Room, after seeing Draco back to his dorm, they found Hermione waiting impatiently.  
  
"Well? Where have you two been?" Hermione demanded.  
  
"We had to go after Scabbers again," Harry told her. "That stupid rat ran up to the third floor. When we saw Mrs. Norris we ducked into one of the old classrooms in the right hand corridor," Harry explained.  
  
"What!? You know the Headmaster declared that corridor off limits!" Hermione cried.  
  
"Don't you want to know what was in that room?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well, what? I assume you got Scabbers back as I can see him in your pocket."  
  
"We saw a three headed dog!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, and it drooled all over my robes," Harry said pulling at his robes with a look of disgust.  
  
"You three are lucky you weren't caught! Or worse! You could have gotten in serious trouble!" Hermione scolded Ron.  
  
" Hermione! That dog was huge! It filled the room!" Harry said.  
  
Later that night, after Hermione had finished ranting about how careless they were and the boys in the first year dorm were asleep Harry went down to the Library in his trunk to write to his Guardians. In the letter Harry told his Guardians about getting to the new Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  
  
"I'm worried about Draco," Harry wrote.  
  
"It seems to me that he doesn't want to end up like his father's generation of Slytherins. The problem is, he doesn't seem to know how to maintain enough separation from them and his classmates to avoid ending up like them without ticking them off. Any advice I can give him?  
  
By the way, I'm having a couple of problems myself. One of them is a pesky poltergeist who likes to make trouble. How can I convince him to leave me and my friends alone without performing an exorcism? He seems to respect/obey only two beings, the Headmaster and the Slytherin House ghost, the Bloody Baron. In some respects he acts like a teenage brat. You told me to keep a low profile so I don't want to have to show that I can force Peeves to behave.  
  
Again, what should I do about Draco? How can I get him to do what I feel that he needs to do without alienating him?"  
  
Harry finished his letter, sealed it, and sent it to his Guardians.  
  
After it disappeared he went to bed.  
  
The next morning, after his normal tai chi workout, Harry dragged Ron out of bed and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Draco was sitting with them that morning because he was having problems with his housemates, Pansy Parkinson in particular.  
  
Ron dragged his feet that morning, so by the time they got to the table the only thing left to drink was Pumpkin Juice. Hermione, who sat with them at breakfast, had noticed that Harry didn't drink Pumpkin Juice, ever. She wondered what he was going to do that morning.  
  
Harry poured himself a goblet of pumpkin Juice, looked at it, made a face, and held his hand over the top of the goblet.  
  
He muttered under his breath and Hermione saw a brief flash of light.  
  
"Harry? What was that?" Hermione asked as Harry removed his hand and she saw that his glass was filled with what looked like water.  
  
"Just a spell my Guardians taught me so I could make sure that I always had drinkable water," Harry said nonchalantly. "I don't like Pumpkin Juice."  
  
Professor Snape was looking in Draco's direction when Harry changed the Pumpkin Juice, and saw the flash of light. He had also noticed that Harry didn't drink Pumpkin Juice. He wondered if Potter had figured out what was in the Pumpkin Juice.  
  
As the mail owls swooped down six owls carrying a long, oddly shaped package landed in front of Harry.  
  
The package they carried had a note on it: "Do not open this at the table."  
  
Draco looked at the package, looking sort of shocked. "It couldn't be? Could it?"  
  
"I don't know. Let's go open it Harry!" Ron said dragging Harry out of the Great hall.  
  
They got out of the Great Hall and Harry opened the package revealing a beautiful Quidditch broom.  
  
"That's a Nimbus 200!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Cool!" Draco said.  
  
That morning they had Potions class with the Slytherins. Those Slytherins that weren't ignoring Draco were razzing him about hanging out with the Gryffindor Wonder boy (Harry), the Muggle loving Weasel (Ron), and the Mudblood (Hermione). They were making snide comments about how "disappointed" Draco's father would be if he found out.  
  
Harry and Professor Snape happened to be listening to this and it made them think. Harry realized that he would have to move up his little "talk" with Draco. He would have to do it soon even if his Guardians hadn't replied to his letter yet. Professor Snape realized that he would have to keep a closer eye on his Godson; he was worried about Lucius' reaction to Draco's behavior.  
  
Just then, Harry noticed what his partner, Neville, was doing.  
  
"Neville stop! Don't add those yet! Look carefully at the instructions for this potion. What do they say to do next?" Harry asked Neville, stopping him before he could make a mistake that would have caused the potion to explode.  
  
"It said to add the nettles next," Neville answered.  
  
"Read it again, Neville. Aloud," Harry said.  
  
"Don't add the nettles without stirring the potion 3 times clockwise first, causing it to change color," Neville read aloud.  
  
"See Neville," Harry said stirring the potion. "If you had added the nettles then the potion would have exploded. Remember to reread the instructions before you add anything to any potion. You have to relax and concentrate on what you are doing, " Harry told Neville as the potion changed color like the book said it would.  
  
"Now add the nettles, slowly."  
  
Snape was watching. * Amazing* he thought to himself, * Potter managed to keep Longbottom from ruining that potion and cauldron. *  
  
"Longbottom! 10 points from Gryffindor for almost causing an explosion!"  
  
After class Draco pulled Harry aside. "Harry why do you waste your time with helping a near Squib like Longbottom?"  
  
"I have my reasons," Harry said.  
  
"My guardians have told me to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. If Neville is going to be the one next to me, and he might, when the worst happens, whatever that is, I want him to be as good as he can be," Harry muttered under his breath.  
  
Snape who was standing nearby in the shadows, and heard what Draco didn't, thought to himself * Hmm. Perhaps Potter isn't the stupid, spoiled child I have thought him to be, unlike the rest of those Gryffindor brats. *  
  
"Draco wait!" Harry called out to Draco as he started to walk off. "There's something I need to talk to you about."  
  
"Huh.what?" Draco replied.  
  
"There will come a time when you will have to make a choice tot do the right thing or not. Be sure that when the time comes to make your choice known to others, you have the support to do so without too much risk."  
  
"Huh?" This puzzled Draco.  
  
"Just think about it."  
  
Later that day, after class, Harry wrote a letter to his Guardians telling them about his new broom, the conversation that he had with Draco, and the rest of what happened that day. He sent the letter and went to bed.  
That evening Draco's father came to Hogwarts to have a "talk" with Draco about his behavior and who he had been making friends with.  
  
"Why do you spend your time with a Muggle lover like Weasley?" Lucius demanded of Draco.  
  
"Father, the Weasley family consistently produces powerful, if eccentric, witches and wizards who somehow manage to worm their way into government circles. It might be wise to have one on my side," Draco explained to his father.  
  
"Hmm. just make sure you don't associate with too many Muggleborns," Lucius said as he turned to leave.  
  
"Yes Father," Draco said. * I'll make my choice known when the time is right for my purposes. * Draco thought to himself once his father had left.  
  
Snape, who was watching Draco's talk with his father, was surprised by Draco's answers. It seemed that Draco had the ability to equivocate with a straight face and give the perfect double-tongued answers to his father.  
Meanwhile, Harry's Guardians were discussing how to respond to Harry's latest letter.  
  
David insisted that Harry had to stick to himself and not take any chances on making enemies.  
  
Paul, on the other hand, insisted that Harry had to bring Draco over to his side ASAP, no matter what it took.  
  
Sara, after listening to the both of them rant, pointed out that while Harry needed to make at least allies, if not friends, out of his classmates, he couldn't afford to let too much information slip, or push them into changing too far too fast, or there was a chance that the older generations would become suspicious.  
  
"That's a good point, Sara," Maria said. "Harry must also keep his conversations with Draco that involve sensitive information of this kind confidential. Dumbledore has ways of knowing what's going on in his school."  
  
Renée turned to her and asked, "Do you think we should give Harry permission to show Draco his library?"  
  
"That's a great idea Renée," Maria said.  
  
"I have an idea about what to do about Peeves. Harry's next magic lesson should include a version of the mirror trap spell. If he uses it on Peeves, whenever Peeves does anything to Harry, or his friends, it happens to him instead," Paul said.  
  
"That's a great idea Paul. I'll have make sure to include the instructions in with the letter, " Maria said. 


End file.
